Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe is reportedly set to remain a major presence at ESPN for the foreseeable future.

Sharpe, who left FS1’s “Undisputed” last June after a memorable seven-year partnership with Skip Bayless, joined ESPN’s “First Take” last September, teaming up with Stephen A. Smith. According to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, Sharpe and ESPN are on the verge of finalizing a multi-year contract that will keep him at the Worldwide Leader in Sports for years to come.

While the deal has yet to be formally signed, sources close to the negotiations say it is expected to be completed very soon. Under the new agreement, Sharpe will continue his regular appearances on “First Take,” and may also contribute to other NFL programming on the network.

Before his stint at FS1, Sharpe was a well-known NFL analyst on CBS’s “The NFL Today.” Skip Bayless, meanwhile, left ESPN and “First Take” to launch “Undisputed” at FS1, eventually bringing Sharpe on board.

Sharpe’s final “Undisputed” episode aired on June 13 of last year. Not long after, he was confirmed as a new face on “First Take,” while Bayless and FS1 quickly restructured their lineup. The current “Undisputed” now features former ESPN personalities Keyshawn Johnson and Rachel Nichols, NFL legends Richard Sherman and Michael Irvin, rapper Lil Wayne, and Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce.

Long before his broadcasting career, Sharpe was a dominant NFL tight end, earning eight Pro Bowl selections, four First-team All-Pro honors, and winning three Super Bowls—two with the Denver Broncos (1997, 1998) and one with the Baltimore Ravens (2000).

A Well-Deserved Deal For Shannon Sharpe

Sharpe has become one of the most entertaining and influential voices in sports media, and ESPN acted quickly to secure his talents following his departure from FS1. At 55, Sharpe has proven to be an invaluable addition to a network that recently parted ways with several high-profile names, including Keyshawn Johnson, Jeff Van Gundy, Steve Young, Matt Hasselbeck, Suzy Kolber, Joon Lee, Todd McShay, and Max Kellerman.

Sharpe’s massive following and magnetic on-air presence have consistently driven ratings wherever he’s gone. While fans are well aware of the ups and downs of his partnership with Bayless, Sharpe now enjoys a stable, long-term deal with the world’s leading sports media company—a move that is well-deserved in every respect.