Sterling Sharpe finally got his gold jacket and, after a long wait, his face was immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame forever. The Sharpe name became the most successful last name in football as Sterling joins his younger brother, Shannon, in the Hall of Fame.
They are the only brothers to earn such an achievement. Shannon and Sterling racked up millions during their NFL careers, but who made more?
How Much Did Sterling and Shannon Sharpe Make in the NFL?
Sterling and Shannon Sharpe began their NFL journeys under very different circumstances. Sterling went No. 7 overall in the 1988 draft and secured a five-year, $2.8 million contract, while Shannon, taken in the seventh round in 1990, signed a two-year, $258,000 deal to prove he belonged in the league.
Sterling was a star in college and dominated in his early years in the NFL. In just his second season, he led the league with 90 receptions, 1,423 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns.
His dominant play over his first few years earned him a ten-year extension with the Packers in 1991 for $15.65 million. While this is a chump change in the WR market today, it was a massive deal for the times.
One of the most dominant WRs of his era.
Sterling Sharpe’s legacy will soon be cemented in the @ProfootballHOF
HOF Enshrinement — Aug. 2 on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/d7FIYYJx0o— NFL (@NFL) July 24, 2025
Unfortunately, Sterling never completed his full contract with Green Bay. A neck injury in the 1994 season forced him to retire at just 29. He was on track to become one of the all-time great receivers, but injuries cut short what could have been an even more remarkable career.
Since he was injured and retired, he never received the full contract he signed. According to Spotrac, he earned about $8.54 million from his NFL contracts over his seven-year career.
For Shannon, he had to earn his spot in the NFL and gradually work his way up to the contracts he eventually secured during his Hall of Fame career. As a seventh-round pick, he was guaranteed very little until demonstrating that he belonged in the league.
Shannon more than showed he was an NFL-caliber player and earned his way up to multiple $10+ million contracts. While he never fulfilled his final agreement with the Broncos by hanging up the cleats at 36 years old, Shannon racked up about $23.3 million over his 14 years in the NFL, according to Spotrac.
Post-Playing Media Endeavors and Net Worths
Sterling and Shannon both remained high-profile sports media personalities for years after retiring from the NFL. Once their playing days were over, they took on analyst roles for ESPN and NFL coverage.
Shannon remained active on ESPN until his release last week, but he is expected to continue working in NFL media and shows no signs of stepping away. He was a prominent voice on ESPN’s First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith and has also been heavily involved in other programs like Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, co-starring with Skip Bayless. It wouldn’t be surprising if he lands a new show soon.
Sterling continues to appear on NFL coverage. His next appearance will not be for him to cover anything, but for the NFL world to cover him and appreciate his greatness at his induction ceremony.
Both brothers’ media jobs have brought in some cash and helped increase their overall net worth. According to a report, Sterling’s net worth is around $12 million. While their net worths could have been much closer had Sterling never had his neck injury, Shannon’s net worth is about $30 million.
To answer the question, Shannon is worth more. But none of that will matter to either of them when Sterling is enshrined in Canton.
This will be an emotional day for the Sharpe family, especially for Sterling and Shannon, after Shannon has advocated for so long about his brother’s success.
Shannon even had the honor of telling Sterling that he would be inducted into the 2025 Hall of Fame class in an emotional moment.
It’s hard not to wonder what Sterling might have accomplished had he never been sidelined by injury, because the ceiling would have been extraordinary. Even so, his dominance on the field is now immortalized in the Hall of Fame, ensuring his legacy will be remembered forever.
