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Shane Gillis ESPYs monologue: Comedian's best jokes about Shedeur Sanders, Donald Trump, & more at sports award show

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Original Story by The Sporting News
July 17, 2025
Shane Gillis ESPYs monologue: Comedian's best jokes about Shedeur Sanders, Donald Trump, & more at sports award show

The ESPYs are the biggest sports award show that isn't focused on just one sport. They're basically the Oscars, but all about sports. Similar to the Oscars, a host is tasked with presenting an opening monologue that introduces everyone to the show and then guides the program through the rest of the night. 

Previous hosts have included high-profile athletes and actors. The 2024 show was hosted by Serena Williams, while comedian Tracy Morgan hosted the 2019 ESPYs. The 2025 ESPYs were hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, who's known for his stand-up comedy career as well as the TV show "Tires," a comedy series starring Gillis as a mechanic. The second season premiered on June 5 of this year, and it has been picked up for a third season.

Gillis has been known to push the envelope with his comedy, and his ESPYs monologue was no exception.

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Here are the best jokes from Gillis' monologue to open the 2025 ESPYs. 

MORE ESPYs: 

Shane Gillis ESPYs monologue

The tough part about hosting an award show is that the host has to give a monologue. Later in the night, the show is carried by the award results and guest presenters. There are also usually sketches to entertain the crowd and keep the vibe light. 

The host, though, has to start the show with a monologue. Gillis is known for his edgy humor and wouldn't be considered politically correct. He mixed in jokes about athletes in the crowd, along with political humor that included a Trump impersonation. Some of his jokes landed, many didn't. Gillis saved face, joking that the crowd wasn't into his commentary and that they should have cut some of the jokes. 

Here is Gillis' full opening monologue.

@espn #ShaneGillis opening monologue at the 2025 #ESPYS ♬ original sound - ESPN

Shane Gillis' best jokes

Gillis was all over the place in his monologue. He took shots at Shedeur Sanders, Aaron Rodgers, Jake Paul, and Megan Rapinoe. While it doesn't seem like he landed with the audience with every joke, he had some pretty good commentary mixed in. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gillis started his monologue by pointing out some athletes in the crowd. He called out SGA and added, "And now, everyone sitting around him is in foul trouble."

Donald Trump

Gillis is known to have a great Trump impersonation. He brought up the President the first time in his monologue by talking about how he wants to host a UFC fight on the White House lawn. Gillis followed that up with, "The last time he staged a fight in DC, Mike Pence almost died."

Later on in his monologue, Gillis came back to Trump. "Can we stop pretending that Donald Trump knows ball? He doesn't know anything about sports. Every time a team comes to visit the White House, he's like (in a perfect Trump impression), "And you must be the guy who catches. Look at these guys, big guys."

Simone Biles

"Simone Biles is 4-8 and has seven gold medals. She's short and has a lot of gold. When she isn't competing, she leads a quiet life at the base of a rainbow." Gillis then added, "If you tell Simone a riddle, and she can't answer it, she has to give you all of her gold medals."

Karl Anthony Towns

It was a short, but sweet joke at KAT. "Karl-Anthony Towns is here, hey gurrrrrrrl"

Aaron Rodgers

"Aaron Rodgers did not take the vaccine because he predicted it would be bad for him. And then he joined the New York Jets."

Shedeur Sanders

"Shedeur Sanders had his jersey number retired at Colorado this year, and people are saying it was because of nepotism because of his father. And it's not. It's because he went 13-12 over his career and almost won the Alamo Bowl."

Caitlin Clark

"Caitlin Clark and I have a lot in common. We're both whites from the Midwest who have nailed a bunch of 3s." Gillis had another about her, saying, "When Caitlin Clark retires from the WNBA, she's going to work at a Waffle House, so she can continue doing what she loves most, fist fighting black women."

Shohei Ohtani

"Shohei Ohtani couldn't make it tonight. Man, I hope his interpreter didn't bet that he was going to be here." Gillis added, "Shohei is a once-in-a-generation talent; no one has been able to do what he does at so many positions — pitcher, hitter, and bookie."

Bill Belichick

Right after the second Ohtani line, Gillis went right into, "a bookie is what Bill Belichick reads his girlfriend before bedtime." Gillis started listing off fake book titles that the couple would read together and included, "The Little Engine That Could...but needed a pill first."

Jake Paul

"Sugar Ray [Leonard], you're the man. But in 10 years, Jake Paul is going to try to knock you out, so take it easy."

Travis Hunter

Gillis took inspiration from the late comedian Norm MacDonald for his final monologue joke of the night, who delivered a variation of this joke when he hosted in 1998.

"Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy this year. He is the first defensive player since Charles Woodson to win the Heisman. Congratulations, Travis Hunter, winning the Heisman is something they can never take away from you — unless you kill your wife and a waiter, in which case, they can take it away from you."

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