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Shannon Sharpe was not fired from ESPN immediately. Here's what really happened after rape lawsuit
Shannon Sharpe and ESPN have parted ways, days after the former tight end settled a rape lawsuit with an unidentified woman
Shannon Sharpe and ESPN have parted ways, days after the former tight end settled a rape lawsuit with an unidentified woman who accused him of sexual assault during their relationship. However, the 57-year-old was not fired immediately. In a statement to The New York Post at the time, ESPN said that Sharpe decided to ‘step away’.
“This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away,” ESPN told The Post in a statement at the time. It is unclear how Sharpe's relationship with ESPN came to an end.
Only earlier this month, Shannon Sharpe reached a settlement with a woman who accused him of sexual assault. The Pro Football Hall of Famer had stepped away from his television duties to address the lawsuit, which was filed in April in Nevada.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, sought $50 million in damages, alleging Sharpe assaulted, battered, and manipulated her using his fame during what she described as a controlling relationship.
Her attorney shared on X that both parties acknowledged a "long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship" and had engaged in "protracted and respectful negotiations," ultimately reaching a resolution. The lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice, closing the matter.
Sharpe’s legal team had previously claimed the accusations were “false and disruptive,” revealing they had offered at least $10 million to settle.
No details of the final settlement were disclosed. Sharpe’s representatives have not commented.
Sharpe, who joined ESPN’s First Take in September 2023, signed a multi-year extension last summer. He called his April departure temporary and expressed a desire to return to national sports media. It is unclear where he will go next.
In a separate incident reported by Front Office Sports in April, Sharpe was accused of choking a female production assistant during his time at FS1’s Undisputed. While no lawsuit was filed, Sharpe and Fox reportedly paid the woman several hundred thousand dollars. Sharpe’s team has denied the allegation.
