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Former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe has been outspoken on controversial topics before. Sharpe is, after all, the co-host of "Undisputed" with Skip Bayless on Fox Sports. On Saturday, Sharpe was interviewed at an airport by TMZ Sports.
He was asked about his thoughts on former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who faces up to 50 years in prison. Sharpe had a strong opinion on the matter, saying Ruggs chose to do what he did.
Ruggs faces up to 50 years in prison for drunk driving while going 156 miles per hour. 23-year-old Tina Tintor was killed as a result of Ruggs' decision.
Shannon Sharpe weighs in on the incident
Sharpe was firm in his belief that Ruggs chose to drive when he knew he shouldn't have. The NFL, NFL Players Association, and every NFL team have the resources for players to call when they need a ride when intoxicated. Rather than being responsible, Ruggs made the wrong choice. Sharpe told TMZ Sports:
"It's a situation that this is not a mistake, he made a choice. He was very selfish. I mean to drive at that high rate of speed, to be intoxicated; when the Raiders, the NFL, the NFL PA have services you can call if you've been drinking. But why people continuously do this is the things that makes athletes great is that one of the greatest flaws because we don't think anything can happen to us, that we're invincible."
Shannon Sharpe also made sure to feel sympathy for the victim and the victim's family. Ruggs took someone's life with his decision, and as Sharpe says, he'll have to live with that decision for the rest of his life.
In addition to feeling sympathy, Shannon Sharpe elaborated on what he views as a mistake versus a choice. Although Ruggs was intoxicated, that doesn't excuse the fact that he chose to drive. Sharpe added:
"This lady lost her life because he was selfish, because he was reckless. This isn't a mistake, a mistake is leaving my phone in the uber. That's a mistake. Getting intoxicated, making a conscious decision to drive a vehicle at a high rate of speed. That's not a mistake, that's reckless. But you know what? I think his greatest punishment is knowing that he cost someone their life. That someone had to deliver a message that he would never want his mom to receive that something like this happened to him."
Ruggs is facing five charges over the incident and could serve 50 years if he's convicted. Regardless of what he gets charged guilty with, he faces prison time.
The former first-round pick of the Raiders will see his life forever changed at just 22 due to one mistake.
