ESPN termination discussed by Shannon Sharpe, with reasons explained for delaying public announcement
In a surprising turn of events, Shannon Sharpe, the popular sports analyst and host of ESPN's "First Take" and "Nightcap" podcast, has ended his association with the network following a high-profile lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed in Nevada state court this spring, accused Sharpe of assault, sexual assault, sexual battery, and battery. Sharpe vehemently denied "all allegations of coercion or misconduct" through his legal team [1]. Despite stepping away from his duties at ESPN in April, Sharpe had hoped the news of his firing wouldn't be made public until his brother, Sterling Sharpe, was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame [2].
However, the news of Sharpe's firing was made public before Sterling Sharpe's induction. Shannon expressed his wish for the news to wait until Monday, as it was the day his brother was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame [2]. In a heartfelt apology, Shannon expressed his regret to his brother about the timing of the news [2].
The settlement of the lawsuit was announced around July 18, 2025, and by late July, it was confirmed that Sharpe would not return to ESPN [1][2]. Sharpe, who also hosts the "Club Shay Shay" podcast, had been a staple of the network since joining after leaving FS1's "Undisputed" in 2023 [1].
During his absence from ESPN, Sharpe continued hosting his podcasts but stayed out of the media spotlight as the controversies unfolded. He currently resides at his property in Georgia [1].
[1] ESPN, "Shannon Sharpe Settles Lawsuit, Parts Ways with ESPN," July 2025.
[2] The New York Times, "Shannon Sharpe Settles $50 Million Lawsuit, Ending His Association with ESPN," July 2025.
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