SHANNON Sharpe has been getting back into top shape ahead of his highly anticipated return to First Take on Monday morning.
The ESPN star posted an epic workout video on social media in which he lifts a series of increasingly heavier weights.
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The four sets included 221.3 pounds, 265.4 pounds, 287.5 pounds and finally 309.55 pounds.
“I keep telling you: Don’t make me activate OLD SHAY!!!” Sharpe tweeted.
And the video caused excitement among First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith, who is eagerly awaiting the former NFL star’s return to the morning debate show.
“I see you brother @shannonsharpe. I see you,” wrote Stephen A.
“And we’ll all see you again on Monday at @firsttake. It’s that time!”
Co-host Molly Qerim announced on Friday’s show that Sharpe will make his first appearance on Monday.
“Oh yes, summer vacation is over, folks,” said Qerim.
“We’re under pressure, Stephen A. – no days off until Christmas.
“The gang will be back together on Monday.
“Our partner Shannon Sharpe returns to First Take.”
Stephen A. was visibly upset by the news.
“It’s the truth, Shannon,” he said.
Sharpe appears on First Take on Mondays and Tuesdays, but has not worked since early July after signing a new long-term contract extension with ESPN.
Now his return date has finally been announced.
Molly added: “Stephen A, Shay, myself – we can’t wait. See you on Monday.”
Although Sharpe hung up his football boots in 2003, he is still in top form.
Shannon Sharpe’s playing career
Before his heavyweight career in the media, Shannon Sharpe was a three-time Super Bowl winner.
The former tight end played in the NFL from 1990 to 2003 – most of the time with the Denver Broncos.
He was part of the 1998 and 1999 Super Bowl championship teams and the Baltimore Ravens’ title-winning team in 2001.
Sharpe was an eight-time Pro Bowler and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He finished his career with 10,060 receiving yards from 815 receptions and 62 touchdowns.
The former NFL star has had an equally successful career on television screens since his retirement.
The three-time Super Bowl winner follows a strict diet and exercise routine around his filming schedule.
And his secret weapon is an exercise that even Hall of Famers fear: burpees.
“Getting down on the ground at 245 pounds and staying upright for an extended period of time…that takes a lot,” Sharpe told Men’s Health.
“When you see these CrossFit guys, none of them weigh 245 pounds, I can assure you.
“I hate doing them, but it’s also a necessary evil for what I want to accomplish.”
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Sharpe’s day usually starts just after 3 a.m.
He still works out three to four days a week, using a mix of free weights, bench presses, incline bench presses, dumbbells, kettlebells, rowing machine, and exercise bike, among other things.
“As an athlete, I got into the habit of keeping a strict schedule, whether it was for work or even just to find a few minutes to relax. So I kept that up,” he told GQ.
“I still give 100% in everything I do, from the show… to training hard in the gym.
“I care about quality of life, not quantity of life.
“When I finish this exercise, I’m not going to say, ‘Man, I wish I could have done five more reps, or I could have done this.
“If you can do that, you haven’t worked hard enough. You should empty the tank.
“You should feel like your lungs have been eaten, your heart is racing in your chest.”
