ESPN has cut ties with NFL Hall of Famer and media analyst Shannon Sharpe less than two weeks after he settled a lawsuit in which his ex-girlfriend accused him of rape, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic on Wednesday.
Sharpe has not been on ESPN since late April, when the suit was first filed. He said at the time that he would return to ESPN at the beginning of NFL training camp. ESPN declined to comment.
The woman, known as “Jane Doe” in the suit, was seeking $50 million for “pain and suffering, psychological and emotional distress, mental anguish, embarrassment and humiliation.” Sharpe publicly denied the allegations immediately after his accuser filed the suit in April, calling the case a “shakedown” attempt. He has maintained that he and the Nevada woman were in a consensual sexual relationship.
Since retiring from the NFL, Sharpe, 57, has had a long media career, first as an NFL studio analyst and then as a sports talk host at FS1, where he rose to greater prominence debating Skip Bayless on “Undisputed.” After that run ended in 2023, Sharpe joined “First Take” as a twice-weekly foil for Stephen A. Smith.
Sharpe continues to have his podcasts “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap,” where he teams up with former wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, both of which are currently distributed by The Volume in an agreement that concludes at the end of August, according to sources briefed on the deal. Before the suit became public in April, Sharpe was closing in on a major podcast deal that may have been worth as much as $100 million, as Front Office Sports reported at the time and sources briefed on the situation confirmed to The Athletic.
The woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, announced the lawsuit’s dismissal in a post on X on July 18, but did not specify the details of the settlement.
“After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution,” Buzbee wrote. “All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.”
A dismissal with prejudice means Sharpe’s accuser cannot refile the same claim against him in the same Las Vegas court. No criminal charges were filed against Sharpe.
(Photo: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)