Chicago, Illinois’s native Sterling Sharpe experienced a significant family change early in his life. His parents, Pete and Mary Sharpe, divorced when he was three months old.
Despite the hardship, he pursued his dream and became a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers in the NFL.
Highlights
- Sterling Sharpe’s parents, Pete and Mary Sharpe divorced when he was only three months old, but they played significant roles in his upbringing.
- His father was a long-haul truck driver, and his mother was a caregiver for the Sharpe siblings.
- He was named a senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024, and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee announced his induction into the 2025 class.
Sterling played running back, quarterback, and linebacker at Glennville High School and joined the University of South Carolina, where he set school records with 169 career receptions and 2,497 receiving yards.
Green Bay Packers drafted him in the first round in 1988, and he immediately impacted the team, breaking Don Hutson’s record for receptions and receiving yards in his sophomore season.
A rigid receiver with strong hands was willing to go over the middle to make difficult catches in traffic.
He became one of only eight players in NFL history to win the outright “Triple Crown” at the receiver position.
On October 24, 1993, Sterling became the second Packer in team history to catch four touchdown passes in one game since Don in 1945.
Unfortunately, his neck injury ended his playing career, and he became an analyst for the NFL Network.
Sterling Sharpe And His Brother Credits Their Success To Their Parents
Sterling Sharpe, the son of Pete Sharpe and Mary Alice Dixon, was born on April 6, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois. Unfortunately, his parents divorced when he was only three months old.
Despite their divorce, they played significant roles in his upbringing. He grew up alongside his brother, Shannon Sharpe, and his grandparents in Glennville, Georgia.
.@shannonsharpe gives a heartfelt thank you to Sterling in Episode 1:
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) September 26, 2020
"The player I became, the man I became, the values I have, a lot of it is because of you. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. As long I got life, you got life." pic.twitter.com/mb0jie6PeX
Pete Sharpe worked as a long-haul truck driver, often keeping him away from home for extended periods. However, he maintained a presence in his children’s lives and encouraged their athletic pursuits.
The Sharpe siblings acknowledged his influence on their work ethic and determination.
On the other hand, Mary was a caregiver for the Sharpe siblings and worked tirelessly to provide for her family, often holding multiple jobs to make ends meet.
She raised them in a modest household, and her upbringing played a crucial role in shaping their futures. She was the backbone of their family.
Mary instilled strong values of discipline, hard work, and perseverance in her children, contributing to their success both on and off the field.
Moreover, she was a constant source of support and motivation for her kids, attended their games, and celebrated their achievements.
The athletic brothers have a close bond and alternate father-son roles. They grew up in challenging circumstances, facing financial difficulties and even working on farms to support their families.
We had hogs; we cropped tobacco; we clipped onions; we picked tomatoes; we did all those things that were farm labor. But my grandmother used to always tell me it takes all this to make a man and I think she would be very proud of the man I’ve become now.
Shannon Sharpe
Despite the challenges, Sterling and Shannon went on to have successful careers in the NFL. Shannon played tight end for 14 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Denver Broncos.
He was the first NFL tight end to amass over 10,000 receiving yards and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Moreover, he won two consecutive Super Bowl titles during his 12 non-consecutive seasons with Denver and a third Super Bowl title with the Baltimore Ravens.
Sterling Sharpe Elected To The Pro Football Hall Of Frame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process is highly competitive, and many deserving players wait years to be inducted. Luckily, Sterling didn’t experience this.
He was named a senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024 and announced as an inductee for the 2025 class in February 2025.
Sterling Sharpe joins his brother, Shannon, in the HOF 🥹 pic.twitter.com/IPpPHDPdz5
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2025
The Hall of Fame’s selection committee announced the happy news several years after Sterling retired from professional playing.
He became the first Gamecock to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Likewise, the College Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 2014.
Sterling was the first player in NFL history to register two 100-catch seasons and became the first player to record 100-plus receptions.
He never missed a game in his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2002.
Sadly, he had a neck injury surgery, which ended his career, and he wasn’t on the Packers team that won the Super Bowl in 1996. However, his younger brother gave him the first of the three Super Bowl rings he won.
The two people who influenced me the most, good or bad, are Sterling and my grandmother. Everything I know about being a man, about football, everything I know about sports, pretty much in life, is because of those two people.
Shannon Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe was the 29th member of the Packers elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Along with him, Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, and Eric Allen are the NFL Hall of Fame members of the 2025 class.
On behalf of the entire Green Bay Packers organization, I want to congratulate Sterling on his long overdue election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He left an indelible mark as one of the greatest players of his generation, while also directly contributing to the revival of the Packers during the 1990s. We are extremely happy for Sterling and his family and are forever grateful for all that he gave and accomplished with the Packers.
Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy
Additional Information
- The University of South Carolina retired Sterling Sharpe’s No. 2 at the end of the 1987 regular season, making him the second Gamecock to be granted this honor.
- He isn’t married but has a daughter, Sommer, born in November 1993.
- Sommer graduated with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications.
- Sterling Sharpe has amassed an estimated net worth of $10 million as of 2025.
