Every organization has a specific chain of command, with the owners at the top, the coaches acting as the middlemen, down to the players on the field. Broncos legend Mark Schlereth, who won two Super Bowls with the team as a guard, believes that if hierarchy is broken and players circumvent the coach and run their issues directly to the owners, it’s a problem.

While discussing how Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ hands-on approach can lead to a dysfunctional dynamic between players and coach on The OG Football Show on November 3, Schlereth called it a “back staircase to the owner’s office” scenario. The former Broncos player pointed out how it took away a head coach’s agency and discussed two coaches he played under, who made it clear ‘who was boss.’

He recalled the time newly-appointed head coach Mike Shanahan made his expectations for former tight end Shannon Sharpe clear and detailed the consequences that would follow if Sharpe refused to comply: “I’ll go back to the Denver Broncos when Mike Shanahan came in. He let it be known to Shannon Sharpe that he was making calls on trades,” Schlereth recalled.

“He was listening to calls on trades for Shannon Sharpe. And Shannon came up to his office and was pissed. And Mike basically said to him, ‘Listen, man. If you don’t practice and you don’t block, you’re not going to play for me.’ And so I would be doing a disservice to my football team to not at least listen to the trade calls to see what I can get.”

Shanahan made clear the standard was non-negotiable, but also signaled that meeting it would change the conversation. The ultimatum was clear. Sharpe had missed a few practice sessions due to a number of injuries, and while he never flat-out refused to block, he seemed unwilling to apply himself. Mike Shanahan was well aware of Sharpe’s potential, but made it clear that he was not going to put up with his attitude. Knowing that the tight end hungered for the ball and wanted to make a difference on the field, the head coach challenged Sharpe to commit to his zone-blocking system, which allowed the tight end to flourish.

“‘Now, if you’re willing to block people and you’re willing to practice, well then this is a different conversation we’re having,’” Schlereth added. “And like he let Shannon Sharpe know like, ‘This is not the Broncos of the, you know, 92’, 93’ and 94’. There’s a new sheriff in town and I demand that you do it the way I talk about it.’ And there was never any question who was in charge of that organization.”

Sharpe took on the challenge and improved not just his finesse with the ball but his stamina, endurance, and physique, which made him less prone to injuries. Shanahan’s revamped blocking scheme also utilized Sharpe’s potential by aligning him in the slot, out wide, or putting him in motion, rather than using him as a traditional in-line blocker next to the tackle, revolutionizing how players and coaches approached the tight end role. 

It also opened up Sharpe’s career and led him to three Super Bowl wins: twice with the Broncos in 1997, then again the very next season in 1998, and a third time with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. Across eight postseason appearances, Sharpe played 18 games, recording 62 receptions for 814 yards and four touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Schlereth’s example came after Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and receiver George Pickens’ dysfunctional dynamic became evident. The Dallas HC publicly called out Pickens in recent weeks for his on-field production, even relegating him to a reduced role in Weeks 7 and 8 (roughly 60% in each game). However, Schlereth pointed out that if Jones intervened and smoothed things out for Pickens, not only did consequences lose meaning, but the locker room’s respect for the head coach also plummeted.