The on-air relationship between ESPN and Shannon Sharpe appears to be over less than two weeks after the Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and media commentator settled a $50 million lawsuit related to sexual assault and battery accusations by an ex-girlfriend.
The network has decided to cut ties with Sharpe, according to a report from The Athletic on Wednesday, July 30. Sharpe last appeared on ESPN in April, stepping away after the lawsuit was initially filed. But he publicly denied the allegations, calling it a “shakedown,” and maintained his relationship with the accuser was “100% consensual.”
Sharpe said at the time he planned to return to ESPN’s airwaves when NFL training camps began ahead of the 2025 season.
The settlement in Sharpe’s case came to light on July 18 when Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the woman identified as “Jane Doe” in the court filing, announced the sides had reached a resolution and the lawsuit would be dismissed. No details of the agreement were released.
The woman accused Sharpe of sexually assaulting her twice, in October 2024 and January 2025, after previously engaging in the intentional infliction of emotional distress. She said Sharpe became violent over the course of their relationship and recorded their sexual encounters without her consent. Sharpe never faced criminal charges in the matter.
