ESPN losing Shannon Sharpe following settlement of alleged assault case
In a shocking turn of events, former NFL star and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Shannon Sharpe has parted ways with ESPN. The departure comes weeks after Sharpe settled a sexual assault lawsuit filed by a woman using the pseudonym "Jane Doe."
The lawsuit, filed in a Las Vegas court, alleged that Sharpe violently sexually assaulted the woman twice in 2024 and 2025, threatened to choke and slap her, and raped her despite her crying and yelling "no." However, Sharpe vehemently denied these allegations, calling them false.
The settlement of the lawsuit occurred on July 18, 2025, but ESPN did not give any further comment after the case was settled. The woman chose to stay anonymous, and the details of the settlement were not made public.
Sharpe joined ESPN in August 2023, following the network's signing of a new multi-year deal with him in June 2024. He was a regular on the morning show "First Take." After the lawsuit became public, Sharpe temporarily stepped away from ESPN, stating his intentions to return when the NFL preseason started.
However, after the settlement announcement, ESPN fired Sharpe, ending his position there. Sharpe has since continued to record his podcast independently, titled "Club Shay Shay."
The woman's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, said both sides had a long, rocky relationship and reached a private agreement after respectful talks. The lawsuit is now officially closed. Buzbee did not comment on whether the woman went to the police.
Sharpe's lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, stated that the woman was trying to blackmail Sharpe and that their relationship was consensual and sexual, often initiated by her with specific and graphic requests. The dismissal of the lawsuit was with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.
Sharpe won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and one more with the Baltimore Ravens. At the time of his retirement in 2003, he was the top tight end in NFL history in terms of catches, yards, and touchdowns. After retiring, Sharpe became a TV personality and now hosts a popular podcast.
This article was published on July 31, 2025.
[1] ESPN article on Shannon Sharpe's departure [2] CNN article on the settlement of the lawsuit [3] USA Today article on the firing of Shannon Sharpe by ESPN
- The settlement of the sexual assault lawsuit filed against Shannon Sharpe by a woman using the pseudonym "Jane Doe" has led to his departure from ESPN, as the network announced his firing after the case was settled.
- Despite both sides having a complex history, Tony Buzbee, the woman's lawyer, stated that a private agreement was reached through respectful talks, officially closing the lawsuit.
- Following his departure from ESPN, Shannon Sharpe continues to host his independent podcast, "Club Shay Shay," and remains a prominent figure in the world of sports entertainment news, health, general-news, crime-and-justice, and celebrity updates.
