“Not Stephen but better bring your A”: Shannon Sharpe drops bars to remember as 'First Take' lead anchor

At the end of the summer, Shannon Sharpe made his long awaited debut on ESPN's First Take. He had a rocky start, but the Hall of Fame tight end has come into his own. Sharpe's larger than life personality was on full display in his debut as the lead anchor of the show.

With Stephen A. Smith out of action, Shannon Sharpe was called on to lead First Take on Friday. He kicked the show off in style, dropping a bar for the fans tuning in at home.

Hey guys, check this out. I'm not Stephen, but you better bring your A," Sharpe said.

Sharpe was the longtime co-host of Skip Bayless on FS1, but made the jump to ESPN after getting out of his contract. After just a few short months on the job, the former NFL star finds himself filling in for Stephen A. Smith on the network's flagship program.

Prior to jumping on the air, Sharpe took to social media to say how grateful he was for the opportunity. This is the first time he's ever been on TV as a lead anchor.

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Shannon Sharpe has come a long way since joining ESPN

This moment might seem small to some, but it is big for Shannon Sharpe. Getting to be the lead anchor on First Take is a testament to how far he's come since joining forces with Stephen A. Smith on First Take.

When Sharpe first joined the table at ESPN, things did not get off to the start he may have hoped. Having been across the table from Skip Bayless for so long, he got caught up in some old habits. This led to Sharpe mistakingly calling Stephen A. "Skip" on multiple occasions. His new co-host didn't mind, but it was clear how much it bothered Sharpe to slip up like that on national television.

Things might not have started out the best, but Sharpe has managed to come into his own. Along with providing in-depth analysis on professional football, he's also shared his thoughts on things in and around the NBA.

Shannon Sharpe is a professional, so it's not surprising he turned things around after a shaky start. All the hard work has paid off for him as now he can say he's been able to lead his own show.