Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson Say Jauan Jennings Is Crossing the Line With His Trash-Talking

With every passing week, it seems like Jauan Jennings crosses the limits of what’s the ‘permissible’ trash-talking limit. His latest controversy erupted Sunday afternoon in Cleveland against Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris.

It’s unknown what exactly transpired between the two, with the only hint being that it happened during Maliek Collins’ injury. But whatever it was, it crossed a line in the eyes of multiple Browns players, and now, in the eyes of Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, too.

Harris, in fact, was so angry that when he spoke to reporters after the Browns’ 26-8 loss to the 49ers, he unloaded an explosive, NSFW rant. “He’s a ho*, and I want that known… he said some things that you should not say to another man, ever,” Harris told reporters.

The defensive tackle accused Jennings of jawing at injured players and then “running behind his O-line,” calling it “soft sh*t” and adding, “I see exactly why they punched him in the nuts.”

That last line was a direct reference to last week, when Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig was suspended for a low blow delivered after he claimed Jennings was “talking crazy.”

That wasn’t an isolated complaint either, as Myles Garrett also said Jennings made demeaning and disparaging remarks, and that when he tried to ask what the issue was, the receiver “started coming at me.”

So, when Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson sat down on Nightcap, they didn’t need a transcript of what Jennings said because the pattern alone was enough.

Johnson’s stance was simple: trash talk is part of football, but targeting injuries is where the line is drawn. “You never want to see your brothers go down… That’s a no-no,” said the former wideout, making it clear that if Jennings was mocking an injury, the anger from Browns players made complete sense.

Sharpe agreed immediately, as he tried breaking down exactly where acceptable talk ends. “I ain’t got no problem with somebody talking… as long as we keep it above the belt,” he said.

The Broncos legend even joked about poking fun at harmless things: “If one of your foots bigger than the other I might mention something,” but he made his red line clear: “I ain’t talking about nobody kids… I ain’t gonna talk about nobody,” referring to injuries, family, or anything that goes deeper than competition.

And that’s the growing problem with Jennings. His incidents are no longer one-offs. Last week, a Carolina defender felt provoked enough to punch him.

This week, multiple Cleveland players described him as disrespectful, baiting, and willing to target vulnerable moments. Even Harris, hardly soft-spoken himself, said he was “surprised nobody’s punched him in the jaw yet.”

It paints a picture of a receiver whose intensity is veering into borderline antagonism. Make no mistake, trash talk is welcome and is a part of football. Even the greatest, like Shannon Sharpe, attest to that. But once you start aiming below the belt, you’re just inviting trouble. And based on the last two weeks, Jauan Jennings may have invited far more than he realizes.