Former Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe is no stranger to fiery debates, but Monday’s First Take saw him truly lose his cool over an absurd hypothetical. The topic? Whether Bill Belichick could thrive as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
What began as a discussion about Mike McCarthy’s job security devolved into chaos when Stephen A. Smith floated the idea that Belichick might enjoy working under Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Sharpe, a three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the Ravens’ most iconic figures from their early years, wasn’t having any of it.
By the end of the segment, it felt like Sharpe was back in his playing days, battling for yardage, only this time, the opponent was Smith’s otherworldly questionable take.
Cowboys drama is just a bit too much for Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith
We want to emphasize that the debate itself was essentially irrelevant. This discussion followed Jerry Jones stating that a McCarthy contract extension wasn't "crazy at all." So why are we even having this discussion? Because hot takes are getting a lot of attention right now.
The video, shared by Awful Announcing, captures the hilarious meltdown. Sharpe, visibly frustrated, accused Smith of claiming to know more about football, delivering the now-viral line: “Now you know more football. Go ahead, OK.” Smith, doing his best to walk it back, insisted he never made such a claim, but Sharpe wasn’t buying it.
Shannon Sharpe vs. Stephen A. Smith starting to sound like Shannon Sharpe vs. Skip Bayless pic.twitter.com/SLqUBbstD4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 25, 2024
For Ravens fans, it was a flashback to the passion Sharpe brought to Baltimore during the 2000 Super Bowl run. Back then, his intensity was directed at opposing defenses; now, it’s aimed at keeping Stephen A. in check.
The debate itself was absurd. Neither Sharpe nor Tedy Bruschi thought Belichick would ever want to coach under Jones, citing the Cowboys owner’s penchant for overshadowing his coaches. Smith, however, argued that Jones’ control over media responsibilities might appeal to Belichick, who famously despises the press. That argument was enough to push Sharpe into full-blown disbelief, culminating in him questioning Smith’s football knowledge altogether.
While the topic at hand was pure fantasy (Belichick coaching the Cowboys? Really?), it’s always entertaining to see Sharpe bring the same energy to the debate desk that he once brought to the field.
As for the Cowboys, they remain the NFL’s greatest source of drama, even in hypotheticals. While Baltimore prepares for a serious playoff push, the Cowboys continue to deliver moments of absurdity that keep fans, and analysts like Sharpe, entertained.