He played college football for the William & Mary Tribe and was selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, where he spent eight seasons.

Recognized as one of the league's top defensive backs during his career, Sharper was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time first-team All-Pro, along with being named to the second-team of the 2000s All-Decade Team.

Head coach Mike Holmgren officially named Sharper the backup free safety, behind Eugene Robinson, to begin the regular season.

[14] On December 30, 1997, Sharper made two combined tackles, forced a fumble, and returned an interception for his third defensive touchdown of the season as the Packers defeated the Buffalo Bills 31–21 in Week 17.

Sharper intercepted a pass by Buffalo Bills' quarterback Alex Van Pelt and returned it for a 20-yard touchdown to seal the Packers' victory in the fourth quarter.

On January 4, 1998, Sharper played in his first career playoff game and recorded three combined tackles in the Packers' 21–7 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Divisional Round.

[23] On November 14, 1999, Sharper recorded 11 combined tackles and made his first career sack on quarterback Jason Garrett during a 27–13 loss at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10.

[36][37] On November 4, 2002, Sharper recorded seven combined tackles, deflected two passes, and returned an interception for a touchdown as the Packers defeated the Miami Dolphins 24–10 in Week 7.

[41] In Week 15, he tied his season-high of nine combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by quarterback Drew Brees for a 50-yard gain during a 38–21 win at the San Diego Chargers.

On January 4, 2004, Sharper recorded 11 combined tackles (nine solo) in the Packers' 33–27 overtime victory in the NFC Wildcard Game against the Seattle Seahawks and led by his former head coach Mike Holmgren.

The following week, he made eight combined tackles, deflected two passes, and recorded a sack during a 20–17 overtime loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round.

[47] In Week 17, Sharper recorded five combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by Chad Hutchinson for a 43-yard touchdown in the second quarter of the Packers' 31–14 win at the Chicago Bears.

Head coach Mike Tice officially named Sharper the starter to begin the regular season, along with strong safety Corey Chavous and cornerbacks Fred Smoot and Brian Williams.

[54] He started in the Minnesota Vikings' season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and collected a season-high nine combined tackles, deflected two passes, forces a fumble, and returned an interception for a touchdown during a 24–13 loss.

[58] He finished his first season with the Minnesota Vikings with a total of 51 combined tackles (41 solo), 16 pass deflections, tied his career-high of nine interceptions, forced a fumble, and scored two touchdowns in 14 games and 14 starts.

On November 11, 2006, in a game against the Miami Dolphins, Sharper bumped a member of the officiating crew, but he was not immediately penalized, later the following week the NFL fined him $15,000 for the infraction.

[67] On September 16, 2007, Sharper collected a season-high eight solo tackles, deflected two passes, and made two interceptions during a 20–17 overtime loss at the Detroit Lions in Week 2.

In Week 7, Sharper made four combined tackles, broke up a pass, and returned an interception by Chad Henne for a 42-yard touchdown during a 46–34 win at the Miami Dolphins.

[78] On December 27, 2009, Sharper made seven combined tackles, two pass deflections, and returned an interception by Josh Freeman for a 21-yard gain during a 20–17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16.

[80] Sharper finished the season with 71 combined tackles (51 solo), 15 pass deflections, nine interceptions, three touchdowns, and was credited with half a sack in 14 games and 14 starts.

[81] The game was decided when cornerback Tracy Porter intercepted a Peyton Manning pass late in the fourth quarter and returned it 74-yards for the game-winning touchdown.

After workouts with the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Green Bay Packers without a contract offer, Sharper reportedly announced his retirement after a 14-year career.

[89] Sports Illustrated writer Peter King, who is on the Hall of Fame voting committee, has said that Sharper must be considered because voters are prohibited from taking off-field issues into account.

WDSU noted, "Louisiana law states that a person convicted of committing aggravated rape shall be punished by life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

[110] On December 12, 2014, an Orleans Parish grand jury indicted Sharper on two counts of aggravated rape, stating that, if convicted, he will face a mandatory life sentence.

He appeared in court in Los Angeles on March 23 to enter guilty pleas[117] to sexual assault in Arizona, by video-conferencing, and no contest in California to raping two women he knocked out with a potent sedative mixed with alcohol.

[124][119] However, on February 18, 2016, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo rejected the deal saying, "This court cannot accept this plea agreement", and noted that a federal pre-sentence report called for a range of 15–20 years.

[101] On February 27, 2014, Nunez was arrested and charged, in state court, with two counts of aggravated rape purportedly taking place September 23, 2013, at Sharper's residence in New Orleans.

[133] On July 15, 2016, Licciardi pleaded guilty, before the same judge, to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances with the intent to commit crimes of violence, including rape.

[95] A criminal justice official speculated that the answer may lie in the perpetrator's high social and financial status affording him well-qualified lawyers prosecutors hesitated to confront.