If anyone understands the need for a well-balanced diet, it’s Shannon Sharpe. The NFL Hall of Famer wears many hats and knows the importance of fueling your body. In preparation for the Super Bowl, Sharpe and legendary comedian Martin Lawrence have teamed up with Oikos for the Hold My Oikos campaign, showing how the brand’s protein-packed snacks can help anyone in a jam regardless of their muscle size.
With a professional football career that includes three Super Bowl appearances, eight Pro Bowl appearances and several broken records, Sharpe knows the importance of making healthy choices.
“I was always the guy that brought my own food,” Sharpe told Blavity in an exclusive interview. “I knew how much carbs, how much protein, how much fat, how much of any and everything that was in there. I’m not as strict now because I’m sitting next to Steve and doing my own thing. And it doesn’t require me to be in peak physical condition, but I still watch what I eat. If I see something that I really want to eat, I won’t deny myself like I did for the 14 years of the NFL.”
Since retiring from the league, Sharpe has traded in his helmet for a microphone. His broadcasting career began in 2004 at CBS as a commentator for The NFL Today. He left the desk in 2010 and made several appearances as a commentator before landing on FS1 in 2016. Over the next six years, Sharpe went toe to toe with Skip Bayless on Undisputed.
After leaving Undisputed, Sharpe launched his podcast, Club Shay Shay, where he shares a drink with his celebrity friends and asks them the questions everyone wants the answers to. One of those friends is Lawrence, who stars in the hilarious commercial with Sharpe. After a relaxing day on the golf course, Lawerence and Sharpe find themselves in a hazardous situation when their golf cart ends up in the lake.
After Sharpe refuses to use his “show muscles” to retrieve the cart, Lawerence takes a bite from a protein-rich Oikos yogurt and shows his fit friend precisely what the yogurt can do.
“It was unbelievable,” Sharpe said when asked about working with the comedic genius on the campaign.
The 55-year-old multihyphenate reflected on seeing Lawerence’s comedic abilities “up close.”
“I’m so humbled. Oikos had the opportunity of any entertainer, celebrity, or athlete, and they chose me. So I’m humbled and honored by that. And to pair me with Martin and let me put my own spin on it. We had some leeway to ad-lib and say things how we would say it. It was unbelievable, it was great. We had a blast,” Sharpe said.
Aside from working with a legendary comedian, Sharpe is excited to work with Oikos because of their initiative to provide nutritional options to HBCU students, athletes, and surrounding communities. In a 2023 article in Ebony, Oikos’ parent company, Danone, claimed that “only 37 percent of Black and African Americans describe the foods they eat as very nutritious.”
“I went to an HBCU, and I also understand how hard it is for underserved communities to get quality foods and quality protein,” he said. “As athletes, we understand that protein is one of the most important nutritional supplements you can ingest. You need strength, no matter what the sport is. You need to be strong while competing.”
Oikos’ community efforts are part of Danone’s commitment to being a Certified B-Corporation. With this title, the company reassures customers that it upholds the “highest social and environmental criteria and uses its business as a force for good.”
Sharpe jokingly reflected on his need for Oikos yogurt as a more convenient and transportable source of protein during his player days. And how he was sure his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, had access to the “most nutritious food” as they headed into the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While he confesses to having a “bland palate” that includes “vanilla yogurt and little granola,” Sharpe is on board with Oikos’ work to dispel the myth that yogurt is bland but is indeed protein with a purpose.
Check out the hilarious commercial below!
