When former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe was announced as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025, he etched his name into history. With his induction, Sterling and his younger brother, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, became the first pair of brothers to be enshrined in Canton.
Even more special was the way Sterling learned the news—directly from Shannon himself. In a heartfelt moment captured by CBS Sports and shared on social media, Shannon surprised his older brother with the announcement.
At first, Sterling seemed completely unaware of why his brother was there.
“Welcome bro,” Shannon said.
“To your house?” Sterling asked, still puzzled.
That’s when Shannon revealed the real reason for his visit: “Welcome to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
The moment was deeply emotional for both brothers, with Sterling left nearly speechless.
“This is something I…” he started before trailing off. “Oh wow. I need a seat and a drink.”
Shannon, beaming with pride, expressed just how much the moment meant to him.
“To have this moment, and I’ve had some great moments in my professional life, this is the proudest moment in my life,” Shannon said.
Sterling, who was part of Shannon’s induction in 2011, admitted he felt the same sense of pride when his brother received the honor.
“I felt like that when you went in, and, you know I’m not a crier, but when you said that you were in and that weekend in Canton, man, ain’t nothing topping that,” Sterling said.
Shannon quickly responded, “This tops it.”
Shannon, who is three years younger than Sterling, acknowledged that his brother paved the way for him. Sterling, a standout at South Carolina, was selected seventh overall by the Packers in the 1988 NFL Draft. He played seven seasons before a neck injury ended his career prematurely.
“The difference is, you had to do this uncharted. There was nobody to tell you what to do, how to do it. You had the hardest job,” Shannon said. “And because you didn’t have a guide, you didn’t have Google, you didn’t have MapQuest, you had to do it on your own. And you had to do it and be perfect because I was watching.”
For Sterling, this induction was a rare moment where he got to follow in his younger brother’s footsteps.
“I’m happy, man, ’cause I finally get to follow you with something,” he said.
During Thursday’s NFL Honors ceremony, Shannon formally introduced Sterling with an emotional speech, calling him his “hero.”
“You taught me everything I know about sports, and a lot about life,” Shannon said. “I never once lived in your shadow. I embraced it.”
Sterling joins an elite Class of 2025 that also includes tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen, and cornerback Eric Allen.
