Shannon Sharpe manufactured his debut together with Stephen A. Smith on First Just take and told a hilarious story about interacting with Ben Coates though he was participating in at Savannah Condition. In accordance to Sharpe, Coates wanted to go to Savannah Point out and puzzled if he’d be equipped to commence on the football his initially yr as a Restricted Conclusion. Shannon definitely held it serious with him.
“I’m laughing because Ben Coates went to Livingstone. I confirmed him close to when he arrived to stop by Savannah Condition,” Sharpe explained to Stephen A. at the commence of a segment about the Jets’ possibilities to win a Tremendous Bowl this period. Stephen A. and Shannon Sharpe discussed that Livingstone is an HBCU to the audience.
Sharpe continued his tale, “I showed him around [and] he reported he wanted to get started. And I stated, ‘Well, really don’t arrive to Savannah Point out if you want to begin simply because they are shifting me to restricted conclude and you are unable to beat me out.’ He [then] went to Livingstone and experienced a wonderful vocation.”
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Coates in fact had an awesome soccer occupation. He performed in the CIAA for the Livingstone School Blue Bears, ending his collegiate occupation with 103 receptions for 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns. Whilst on campus, he also pledged Phi Beta Sigma. Coates was inducted into the CIAA Corridor of Fame in 2018 for his remarkable enjoy.
Coates then was selected by the New England Patriots in the 1991 NFL Draft with the 124th select. He performed for the Patriots from 1991-1999, turning out to be Drew Bledsoe’s go-to obtaining solution. He led the Patriots in receptions in 1993 with 53 catches for 629 yards and 8 touchdowns and he preserved a high degree of manufacturing with New England.
Coates joined fellow HBCU alumnus Shannon Sharpe to engage in for the Baltimore Ravens in 1999 following becoming produced by the Patriots. He was a component of their Superbowl-winning workforce.
Shannon interacting with a fellow future NFL star on the campus of Savannah Point out College as a college student-athlete is intriguing and we hope to hear much more tales like this throughout his time on Initial Acquire.