Shannon Sharpe Steps Away From ESPN to Be With Family Amid Rape Allegations and $50 Million Lawsuit
The "First Take" panelist says he intends to return for NFL preseason The post Shannon Sharpe Steps Away From ESPN to Be With Family Amid Rape Allegations and $50 Million Lawsuit appeared first on TheWrap.
Shannon Sharpe is stepping aside from his role on ESPN’s “First Take” after the former NFL star, podcaster and sports broadcaster was sued by an ex-girlfriend who accuses him of rape and is seeking $50 million in damages.
“My statement is found here and this is the truth. The relationship in question was 100% consensual,” the 56-year-old “Club Shay Shay” host wrote in an X post on Thursday. “At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties. 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 pre-season.”
In a statement to TheWrap, ESPN said: “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”
He concluded his statement saying, “I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have receive from my family, fans, friends and colleagues. Shannon Sharpe.”
On Sunday, a woman who has been described as being in her early 20s, filed the lawsuit under the name “Jane Doe” in Nevada’s Clark County stating that Sharpe raped her in her apartment in October and January, per The New York Times. The two were allegedly in a relationship for two years. The woman claims that during the acts she cried out and pleaded for him to stop.
Since the filing, Sharpe has denied all of the accusations, with his lawyer, Lanny J. Davis calling the lawsuit “a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.” Over the past few days Sharpe’s legal team has released several text messages Sharpe and the woman allegedly had, in an effort to show that the relationship was a “consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested” by the woman.
The alleged text messages included sexually explicit content the woman sent to Sharpe prior to filing the lawsuit. Some of the conversations including the woman asking Sharpe to “put a dog collar around” her neck and to “tie” her up and “do bad things” to her. Davis previously said in a reported statement that the messages “clearly indicate the nature of their relationship was consensual and sexual in nature — and, in many cases, initiated by her with specific and graphic requests.” Per reports, Davis states the pair had consensual sex until Jan. 2, 2025.
Other messages the woman allegedly sent Sharpe included, “I know u miss this big juicy ass…$25k per cheek” as well as her stating that she would come to his home if he sent her $50,000. Other alleged conversations included the pair discussing her wishes to have a child with Sharpe.
She allegedly wrote: “Only if you put that baby gravy in me, then u can do whatever u want to me” and “i literally ate so much food i look like I’m pregnant with ur big black baby.”
Sharpe allegedly replied: “If I still fck with you around my bday in 24. You can IUD out.”
On Feb. 29, 2024, Sharpe allegedly stated that the woman’s desires to have a baby was a “kink,” with her replying that she’s “always wanted to have a black baby.”
Things appear to have gone sour after Sharpe was seen having sex on Instagram Live back in September 2024. On Dec. 26, 2026, the woman allegedly demanded a “formal apology” from Sharpe and after continuously asking for the apology, Sharpe eventually replied saying, “I’ve already apologized. Stop playing childish [games].”
Davis reportedly said the text messages are “evidence” that “paint a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios.”
On Tuesday, Sharpe appeared to address the lawsuit in an Instagram video, calling it a “shakedown.” The woman’s lawsuit was filed by Tony Buzbee, who recently sued music mogul and businessman Sean “Jay-Z” Carter on behalf of a woman who claimed Carter raped her when she was 13 years old. Per reports, the accuser has since taken steps to dismiss the lawsuit.
“I’m going to be open, transparent and defend myself because this isn’t right. This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who has targeted Jay-Z,” Sharpe said in the video, which he posted to his Instagram account. “Tony Buzbee targets Black men and I believe he’s going to release a 30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make me look guilty and play into every stereotype you could possibly imagine. That video should actually be 10 minutes or so. Hey, Tony, instead of releasing your edit put the whole video out. I don’t have it or I would myself. You know what happened and you’re trying to manipulate the media.”
He continued, adding that he has plans to retaliate by suingi for defamation. “The account in question took place during the day at her invitation, and now that appears to be a deliberate setup coordinated by Gabby, also known as Karli on OnlyFans. Gabby and Tony Buzbee want $50 million, what they’re getting is sued for defamation and trying to take me down. My career is all about real talk and honesty. I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about, and I’m going to be out there telling you whatever I need to say, just like I always do. I love all you guys, thanks.”
On Wednesday, Buzbee released an audio in which Sharpe is allegedly heard threatening to choke the woman in public.
“Well what, Gabby?” Sharpe says.
“Well, you’re coming to L.A. tomorrow?” she replies.
“Yes,” Sharpe says.
“Well, I don’t know why you want to go out,” the woman responds.
“Well, OK,” the woman says.
“OK what?” Sharpe says.
“Well, I’m not really interested in getting choked so I guess we’re going,” she says.
“I might choke you in public,” Sharpe says after a brief chuckle. “Big Black guy chokes small white woman.”
“It’s not a good look, Shannon,” the woman replies.
“It’s not a good look that you do what the s—t you did to me,” Sharpe snaps back.
“OK, well,” the woman says.
Sharpe says, “Well, what?” before the recording ends.
Sharpe, 56, and the woman allegedly met when she was 19 and he was in his mid-50s. In a statement to the New York Times, Buzbee said, “I look forward to presenting the evidence in this case through the judicial process, where the truth matters more than a sports icon’s desperate public spin.”
The post Shannon Sharpe Steps Away From ESPN to Be With Family Amid Rape Allegations and $50 Million Lawsuit appeared first on TheWrap.
