“What Michael Jordan Did for the Dark Skin Brotha”: Shannon Sharpe Once Credited Russell Wilson for Having ‘MJ-Like Effect’ on Short QBs in NFL

Shannon Sharpe often talks about black leadership while delivering comebacks to his counterpart Skip Bayless on UNDISPUTED. Their face-off sometimes turns into a fiery debate but also gives fans a new perspective on several aspects of life and society. Back in 2019, the Hall of Fame tight end made a comparison between Russell Wilson and Michael Jordan while talking about the number of lives they have positively impacted through their success.

Sharpe explained how much of an impact Wilson had on relatively small quarterbacks who want to make it big in the competition. The world knows that while Wilson possesses a muscular physique, his QB abilities were often doubted because of his short stature. However, he turned those limitations into his advantage and rose to prominence. Reflecting on this, Sharpe stated that Wilson did for short QBs what NBA legend Michael Jordan did for the ‘black brotha’.

Shannon Sharpe once compared Russell Wilson’s impact on short QBs to Michael Jordan’s contribution to ‘Dark Skin Brotha’

In the later stages of his playing career, six-time NBA champ Michael Jordan became a fashion icon in the entire celebrity world. Apart from his athletic abilities and professional success, the veteran’s brand-building skills reached a whole different level.

His Air Jordans & style made him the 90s’ menswear’s GOAT, and so far, his success remains undisputed. Without a doubt, Jordan became an icon for innumerable people of color, and played a massive role in telling the world what a black man could become. Recalling this legacy, Sharpe made a bold statement about Wilson and former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who changed the way people used to think about QBs who weren’t very tall.

“Drew Brees and Russell Wilson did for the small QB what Wesley Snipes and Michael Jordan did for the dark skin brotha. Made it in fashion, made it vogue. They made it cool. … That’s how I made a comeback. Been on top of the charts ever since.” — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/mO5KlBc4qa

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 29, 2019

Wilson and Brees were on par with other top signal-callers in terms of slinging the ball and rushing down the field. In fact, Wilson also succeeded in winning a championship title, engraving his name among the top-tier quarterbacks. This eventually paved the way for relatively shorter yet talented quarterbacks to make their way into the biggest league on the planet.

“Drew Brees and Russell Wilson did for the small QB what Wesley Snipes and Michael Jordan did for the dark skin brotha. Made it in fashion, made it vogue. They made it cool. … That’s how I made a comeback. Been on top of the charts ever since,” Sharpe said on UNDISPUTED.

Shannon Sharpe once revealed that the hardest job he had was ‘being black’

Growing up, Shannon had to make several sacrifices in order to become what he is today. It was not just limited to financial constraints but also the racial disparities he faced in the competitive world.

“The hardest job I’ve ever had was being black. Because you don’t get paid for it, it’s a heavy burden to bear and you can’t get good at it because all you’ll ever be is black. And no matter what you become, it’ll always be proceeded by being black.”

— @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/8tYDRZOpKw

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 28, 2020

“The hardest job I’ve ever had was being black. Because you don’t get paid for it, it’s a heavy burden to bear, and you can’t get good at it because all you’ll ever be is black. And no matter what you become, it’ll always be proceeded by being black.” Sharpe had said on Undisputed, per thebiglead.com.

Hence whenever it comes to minority representation, the veteran, rightfully gets super excited to speak about it. With the 2023 draft stacked with plenty of black and shorter prospects, it will be interesting to see how Sharpe reacts to their success.

About the author

Deepesh Nair

Deepesh is an NFL consultant at The SportsRush. Having started his career in journalism as a trending news correspondent, he has ventured into the world of sports reporting, and NFL happens to be his area of expertise. While the iconic duo of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski excites him more than anything, he believes Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce might surpass the NFL greats someday. Apart from football, Deepesh loves following the royal game of Chess and cricket. Watching movies, coding, and fitness are some of his other pursuits off working hours.

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