Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe was an elite player during his career with the team. From 1988-1994, Sharpe was arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL not named Jerry Rice. Unfortunately, Sharpe’s career came to a premature and unexpected end due to injury after the 1994 season. But Sharpe had an outstanding final NFL game which only left fans wondering what great heights he could have reached had he remained healthy.
Packers WR Sterling Sharpe Had An Outstanding Final Game: The Leadup
The Packers entered the 1994 season finale in Tampa Bay with an 8-7 record and needing a win to make the playoffs for the second straight year. The Pack had won their last two games to keep their playoff hopes alive. The previous week, quarterback Brett Favre won the team’s final home game in Milwaukee with a daring scramble for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the game against the Atlanta Falcons. Their Bucs entered the game 6-9 and were out of the playoff picture.
In addition to Favre, the offense was led by Sharpe who was again among the top receivers in the league. Through 15 games, Sharpe had 85 catches for 987 yards and 15 touchdowns. He needed 13 yards receiving to go over 1,000 yards for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
“He was an unstoppable, remarkable receiver,” Packers GM Ron Wolf said of Sharpe. “He was the only offensive weapon we possessed yet the opponent’s defense couldn’t stop him.”
“The more times Sterling touches the ball, the better chance we have to win,” wide receivers coach Jon Gruden added. “It’s no different than when the Chicago Bulls rode Michael Jordan for those three championship rings.”
In an ominous sign, Sharpe suffered an injury in the previous game. He was on the turf for several minutes but was able to walk off the field under his own power.
Despite the injury, Sharpe was ready to play against Tampa Bay. In fact, in his seven season NFL career, Sharpe never missed a game.
The Packers would need a strong effort from Sharpe to beat the Bucs and make the playoffs.
A Quick Start for Sharpe and the Packers
The Packers took control of the game quickly. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Pack drove 71 yards on six plays to take the lead. Edgar Bennett ran 39 yards for the game’s first score. The Packers led 7-0.
The Packers had a great chance to extend their lead when Sean Jones forced Bucs running back Errict Rhett to fumble. Linebacker George Koonce recovered and Green Bay had the ball 1st-and-goal at the Tampa Bay 6.
Three runs by Bennett got the Packers to the one-yard line. Head coach Mike Holmgren decided to go for it on fourth down, but Bennett was stopped short, and the Pack came away empty handed.
But the offense moved the ball on their next drive. Sharpe was a big part of the drive, running once for two yards and catching four passes. The last catch was a six-yard touchdown pass from Favre. The Packers led 14-0 after the first quarter.
Packers WR Sterling Sharpe Had An Outstanding Final Game: A Big Second Quarter
The Bucs added field goals on each of their next two drives to cut the Packers lead to 14-6. Then, Sharpe had another great drive to help the Pack extend their lead. First, he caught a 49-yard pass to get the ball into Tampa Bay territory. Three plays later, Favre connected with Sharpe for 22 yards and a touchdown. The Packers led 21-6.
On the Packers final drive of the half, Favre found Robert Brooks for 15 yards and Mark Chmura for 27. Then, Favre threw over the middle to running back LeShon Johnson for 13 yards. In the closing seconds of the half, Sharpe caught his third touchdown pass of the game, a six-yard effort for Favre. The Packers led 28-6 at halftime and the game was out of reach.
Sharpe finished the first half with 109 receiving yards and three touchdown passes.
“Their offense was just clicking,” Bucs safety Marty Carter said. “There’s not much you can do once they get their rhythm.”
The Second Half
A fumble by Favre set up the Bucs next score midway through the third quarter. They took over the ball at the Green Bay 26. Two plays later, Bucs QB Craig Erickson found ex-Packers receiver Charles Wilson for an 18-yard score. The Bucs missed the two-point conversion, and the Packers lead was cut to 28-12.
The Packers added a pair of field goals by Chris Jacke on their next two drives, one from 38 yards out and the second from 18 yards. That made it 34-12 Green Bay.
Tampa Bay scored a touchdown in the final minute to make the score more respectable, but the Packers had earned a playoff spot with a 34-19 win.
Bennett finished the game with 100 yards rushing and a touchdown plus six catches for another 35 yards. Favre completed 24-of-36 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns while Sharpe had nine catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. That gave him a league-leading 18 touchdown catches for the season.
The Packers did it with the short passing game. Twenty of Favre’s 24 completions were for 14 yards or less and he completed passes to nine different receivers in the game.
“We’re peaking,” Favre told reporters after the game. “I think everybody would agree that this 9-7 team is much better than last year’s 9-7.”
The Aftermath
The Packers went on to face the Lions the following week in Green Bay. They beat Detroit 16-12 while holding Barry Sanders to minus-one yards rushing on 13 carries.
But before the game, the Packers got bad news on Sharpe. During the next to last game, he experienced temporary paralysis in both arms. After taking another hard hit against the Bucs, Sharpe had a burning sensation in his right arm.
Tests showed Sharpe had suffered an abnormal loosening of the first and second cervical vertebrae. He would need surgery, and the minimum recovery would be eight months. Unfortunately, the injury ended his career.
Wolf issued a statement before the 1995 season started announcing that the Packers were releasing Sharpe. “The severity of the neck injury Sterling suffered, and the fact that research indicates no player who has had that type of surgery has returned to the playing field along with the uncertainty of his future availability, literally left us with no alternative. We therefore are terminating his contract, with reluctance.”
“I thought he was one of the best receivers I’d ever seen,” said future Packers GM Ted Thompson, who was working for the team under Wolf when this happened. “[Sharpe) was kind of our whole offense.”
Sharpe was one of the most dominant wide receivers in the NFL. He was forced to retire in his prime at the age of 29. Because he relied more on his size than his speed, he probably had several productive years left before he started to slow down. There’s no telling what kind of milestones he would have reached had he remained healthy. Sharpe has yet to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He deserves the honor.
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