ESPN personalities Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. seemingly express undeterred enthusiasm about Shannon Sharpe's potential return to ESPN, despite a prior sexual assault lawsuit.
Rewritten Article:
No sugarcoating here, folks. Let's get straight to the point.
When Shannon Sharpe announced his temporary departure from ESPN last month, he promised a return by the start of the football season.
"At the moment, I've decided to take a step back from my ESPN duties," Sharpe stated in an announcement. "I'm devoting this time to my family and dealing with these false and troubling allegations against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason."
However, sources intimate with our website argue that Sharpe's return isn't guaranteed.
In April, an ex-girlfriend filed a $50 million lawsuit against Sharpe, claiming sexual assault, rape, and sexual battery. Sharpe maintains his innocence, stating that the relationship was consensual.
As reported by the New York Times, Sharpe faces an additional lawsuit in New York filed in 2023. In this suit, another ex-girlfriend accuses Sharpe of sexually assaulting her during an argument in 2010. Front Office Sports recently disclosed that Sharpe had previously settled with a female production assistant at FS1, who accused him of choking her.
Nevertheless, he has significant support from Stephen A. Smith, ESPN's biggest star and the executive producer of "First Take." On Thursday, Smith shared his optimism that Sharpe would return to ESPN in August.
"He firmly maintains his innocence regarding these allegations," Smith said about Sharpe. "But in the court of public opinion, that's what matters to the Disneys of the world and others. It's working against him at this point in time. I'm hopeful this will all blow over. I'm hopeful that I'll have my brother back on the airwaves discussing football next season."
ATLANTA - [Photograph of Sharpe, Smith, and a few others]
Insiders within the building suggest that ESPN views Sharpe as one of the few exceptional contributors to linear television viewership. The company demonstrated its appreciation for Sharpe last year by re-signing him to a $6.5 million annual salary for merely two days of work a week.
His popularity, combined with his alliance with Smith, improves his chances of returning to ESPN at some point.
However, no one in television is invincible. Even if Sharpe is exonerated of the allegations, his relationship with the accuser raises questions about his character.
Notably, the accuser's lawyer released an audiotape in which Sharpe allegedly threatened to choke the woman during an argument. Furthermore, recently disclosed text messages reveal an especially nasty exchange between Sharpe and his accuser.
"But I cried when you left because I begged you to use a condom and not penetrate me anally, and you didn't listen," the woman reportedly said via text messages [reviewed by the New York Post]. "I don't care what our history is, no means no, Shannon."
Although comparatively tame, Sharpe accidentally live-streamed an Instagram video in September featuring a woman moaning. Sharpe claimed he streamed the audio accidentally, but confirmed it was during a sexual act.
For a Disney employee, Sharpe's private life is unusually public. At the very least, Sharpe appears to be a nearly 60-year-old man involved in toxic, public relationships with OnlyFans models 35 years younger.
Sharpe is valuable, but is he that valuable?
It's tough to argue he is, especially now that ESPN has inked Stephen A. Smith to a five-year, $100 million contract to co-host "First Take." If Smith is worth that amount of money, he shouldn't need Sharpe's participation that much.
ESPN has other options. The network recently signed Peter Schrager to a multi-year contract. Schrager is arguably the most informed and interesting NFL commentator on a daily basis.
The network can also find another former football player to debate with Smith. In fact, Sharpe replaced the role left vacant after ESPN dismissed Michael Irvin for facing sexual misconduct allegations of his own in 2023.
(Who's doing the hiring over there?)
Disney must also consider the precedent it would set by allowing Sharpe to return. Already, former ESPN anchor Sage Steele has criticized the network for taking conservative views more seriously than actual bad behavior.
"There's a long list of examples where ESPN/Disney considers having conservative viewpoints a much greater offense than questionable character," Steele said, in response to a video of Sharpe daring the accuser to release a full sex tape between the two.
Ashley Brewer Kaminsky, a conservative anchor who ESPN fired in 2023, also referenced how ESPN seemed to take her politics more seriously than Sharpe's conduct.
"Never forget when I got reprimanded by my boss for posting a picture of a Republican congressman and UFC fighter on my Instagram story at the McGregor fight. LOL," Brewer commented below Steele's post.
Well, luckily for Sharpe, he's made it clear he's no fan of Donald Trump ...
Yeah ...
Ultimately, sources inside the industry don't expect ESPN to welcome Sharpe back. The question is whether Stephen A. Smith has enough influence to convince ESPN to change its stance and offer Sharpe another opportunity.
- Despite Shannon Sharpe's temporary departure from ESPN, sources hint that his return isn't guaranteed due to allegations of misconduct.
- In April, an ex-girlfriend filed a $50 million lawsuit against Sharpe, claiming sexual assault, rape, and sexual battery. Another ex-girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her in a New York lawsuit filed in 2023.
- Even though Sharpe maintains his innocence, the court of public opinion and the legal system may work against him, potentially impacting his return to ESPN.
- Despite the allegations, Sharpe's popularity and alliance with Stephen A. Smith may improve his chances of returning to ESPN at some point, but his character and private life are under scrutiny.
- ESPN may face a difficult decision about Sharpe's return, as they recently signed Stephen A. Smith to a five-year, $100 million contract and have other options for commentators, such as Peter Schrager.
- The precedent ESPN would set by allowing Sharpe to return amid allegations of misconduct has been criticized by former ESPN personalities like Sage Steele and Ashley Brewer Kaminsky, who claim that the network takes conservative views more seriously than actual bad behavior.
