Luis Sharpe, a 13-year member of the Cardinals organization, has died. He was 65.
Via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic, Sharpe’s wife, Tameka Williams-Sharpe, announced his passing on social media.
Born in Havana, Sharpe played high school football in Detroit. He played collegiately at UCLA.
The Cardinals selected Sharpe with the 16th overall pick in the 1982 draft. His career spanned two states and three names — the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phoenix Cardinals, and the Arizona Cardinals. He also played for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL in 1985.
Sharpe was a Pro Bowler in 1987, 1988, and 1989. He was named a second-team All-Pro in 1988 and 1990.
Sharpe, as noted by McManaman, had struggles in his post-playing life, with drugs, alcohol, multiple arrests, and incarceration. He also was shot twice during drug deals gone bad. He said in December 2024 that he has been sober for eight years.
He partnered with his daughter, Rebekah, to offer education regarding addiction. They worked as ambassadors for Hall of Fame Health, a group that is affiliated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I was a four-time loser,” Luis Sharpe said in November 2024. “I went to prison four times, I was shot twice, I was called a football-hero-to-crackhead-zero. And now here I am, traveling with my daughter to all these different cities and watching her audience engagement, how she educates the audience and her great stage presence. She’s able to read the room and she has this masterful storytelling ability at these Hall of Fame events.”
We extend our condolences to Sharpe’s family, friends, and teammates.
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