After the players went on a strike on the third week of the season, those contests were canceled (reducing the 16 game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Shepard was re-signed to be a part of the Redskins replacement team, that was given the mock name "Deadskins" by the media. He returned a punt 73 yards in the fourth game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He contributed to the team being undefeated in the three replacement contests, including an upset win against the Dallas Cowboys. On November 28, he was released again and could not be a part of the eventual Super Bowl XXII winning team.