"This is not college. They tear your a*s up": Shannon Sharpe blasts rookie Shemar Stewart for shoving Joe Burrow at practice

The Cincinnati Bengals' Wednesday practice ahead of the Washington Commanders preseason faceoff turned out to be an intense one after rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart shoved QB Joe Burrow during a play. The scuffle got real within seconds as Stewart seemingly lost control and went all in to tackle Burrow. The clip instantly went viral and sparked hot reactions from fans and experts across the NFL fraternity.

Former Super Bowl champ and veteran analyst Shannon Sharpe dropped his reaction to the incident via his Night Cap podcast with Chad Johnson. Sharpe mentioned that you never shove your own quarterback in practice. It could blow out of proportion every time somebody does something like that.

“Every time you touch the quarterback, it's going to happen. But I like the alignment thing. That's on us. If it's a stunt, you already know, they pass it off,” Sharpe said on Wednesday night. [Timestamp - 1:00]

Sharpe added that the scenario in the NFL is very different. It is not college, where amateur athletes often get into a heated scuffle during practice, especially when a player like Stewart is coming fresh out of college.

“This ain't college. If you hit the quarterback, everything's hockety-dory. They'll tear your ass up. They're going to get you. I don't know how they get that in your school, but in the NFL, if you hit the quarterback, it will get you out. Listen, it’s gonna be a fight every time. You'll fight every time,” he added.

Shemar Stewart had a brief negotiation with Bengals before showing up at practice

The rookie defensive end coming out of Texas A&M was a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He was the 17th overall pick and lately he missed weeks of practice owing to brief contract negotiations.

clause in his deal restricted him from guaranteed money if he is found guilty in any off-field troubles or potentially faces legal actions.

This “conduct detrimental” clause reportedly gave the team the ability to indirectly control his paycheck that spans over four years and is worth $18.97 million. He is slated to receive over $10.4 million as part of the signing bonus and the rest of the guaranteed money along with incentives.

The negotiations have been settled and Wednesday’s practice marked the first for the rookie. Coach Zac Taylor sees him as a vital piece in the Bengals defense as Joe Burrow & Co. aim for the Super Bowl in the 2025 season.