Shannon Sharpe has announced he’s temporarily stepping away from his role at ESPN amid serious allegations. The former NFL star and popular sports analyst is facing a $50 million lawsuit, filed Sunday in Nevada state court, accusing him of sexual assault and battery. The complaint, brought by a woman identified as Jane Doe, claims Sharpe raped her twice last year in her Las Vegas home. It also alleges emotional abuse and includes graphic descriptions of two separate assaults, one in October and another in January.
Sharpe has denied all accusations. In a statement posted Thursday on social media, he wrote, “My statement is found here and this is the truth. The relationship in question was 100% consensual. At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties.” He added, “I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason.” Sharpe also expressed gratitude, saying, “I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, fans, friends and colleagues.”
According to the lawsuit, Sharpe and the accuser met at a Los Angeles gym in 2023 and entered a relationship that initially involved consensual sex. However, the woman claims the nature of the relationship turned violent. She alleges that in both incidents, Sharpe used force and ignored her objections.
Sharpe, through his attorney Lanny Davis, released a separate statement citing text messages as proof the encounters were consensual and called the lawsuit “an egregious attempt at blackmail.”
This legal battle comes as Sharpe also faces a separate lawsuit in New York from an ex-girlfriend making similar claims. This remains a developing story.