Shorting is different from an option. They are often confused because you can say you have a "short position" or a "long position" with either (long position would be buying shares).
Most people are more familiar with buying puts or selling call options are superficially similar - you make money if the price goes down.
Options give the holder the right to buy/sell a share at a specific price before a specific date. They expire worthless after that date.
Shorts are immediately borrowing shares - not just the right to buy/sell shares. They do not generally expire, although they do have interest.
GP said " if they shorted the market." which is a bit ambiguous, it sounds like they are talking about a literal short, but in this context they likely mean either.
tl;dr - no they're different