ESPN dismisses Shannon Sharpe from his position less than two weeks following the resolution of a rape allegation lawsuit against him.
Shannon Sharpe, the renowned NFL analyst and co-host of ESPN's popular morning show First Take, has announced his departure from the network following the settlement of a $50 million rape and sexual assault lawsuit out of court.
The lawsuit, filed under the name Jane Doe to protect the accuser's identity, alleged that Sharpe committed assault, sexual assault, battery, and sexual battery. However, financial details of the settlement were not publicly released. The accuser claimed to have met Sharpe at a Los Angeles gym when she was 20 years old and he was in his mid-50s. She accused Sharpe of raping her twice, once in October 2024 and again in January.
Despite the legal turmoil, Sharpe has continued his podcasting career. He has been hosting "Club Shay Shay" and "Nightcap," with Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson as a co-host. The "Nightcap" podcast tour, initially set for 2025, was postponed to 2026 due to unspecified reasons. Sharpe and Johnson announced the postponement, expressing their intentions to resume the tour in the summer of 2026.
Sharpe joined ESPN's First Take as a recurring panelist in 2023 and later signed a multiyear deal to expand his role on the show in June 2024. However, ESPN declined to comment on Sharpe's departure when reached by Us Weekly. Sharpe's representatives also did not respond to a request for comment.
The accuser also alleged that Sharpe inflicted intentional emotional distress and recorded their sexual activity without her consent. However, no criminal charges were filed against Sharpe in relation to the allegations. Lanny J. Davis, Sharpe's attorney, called the lawsuit "filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations" and accused the accuser of attempting to "shake down" Sharpe for millions of dollars.
The NFL preseason gets underway on Thursday, July 31, with the Detroit Lions facing the Los Angeles Chargers in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Cleveland, Ohio. As Sharpe steps away from ESPN, the football world awaits his return to the broadcasting booth.
[1] The case was dismissed with prejudice, indicating that the accuser cannot refile the lawsuit. Both parties acknowledged the relationship as consensual.
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