The former NFL star and media personality has not appeared on the network since late April.
Shannon Sharpe has officially parted ways with ESPN less than two weeks after settling a civil lawsuit in which a woman accused him of rape and abuse during their relationship, according to The Athletic.
The former NFL star and media personality has not appeared on the network since late April, shortly after the $50 million lawsuit was filed. ESPN has not issued a public statement regarding his departure.
The civil complaint, filed in April by a woman identified as Jane Doe, alleged that Sharpe sexually assaulted her twice—in October 2024 and January 2025—during a relationship that began in 2023, when the two met at a Los Angeles gym. She also claimed he recorded their intimate encounters without her consent and made threats of violence.
Sharpe denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown” and asserting the relationship was consensual. His attorney, Lanny Davis, said Sharpe had previously offered $10 million to settle the matter before it was filed, but the woman declined.
Last week, the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, announced the case had been resolved and dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. No terms of the settlement were disclosed.
Sharpe had previously stated he intended to return to ESPN in time for NFL training camp. That return obviously won’t happen.
Before his media career took off, Sharpe made his name on the football field. A three-time Super Bowl champion, he retired in 2003 as the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns—milestones later surpassed. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Following his retirement, Sharpe transitioned into broadcasting, gaining widespread attention as co-host of FS1’s Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless. After leaving that show in 2023, he joined ESPN and launched two successful podcasts, Club Shay Shay and Nightcap, both of which drew millions of subscribers and featured high-profile interviews.
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