Shannon Sharpe Officially Leaves ESPN Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Shannon Sharpe has confirmed that he is leaving ESPN in the wake of an anonymous woman filing a $50 million alleged sexual assault lawsuit against him, earlier this week. Despite the move, he maintains his innocence and says their relationship was completely consensual. In turn, the legendary tight end says he intends to return to the network in time for the NFL's preseason.




"My statement is found here and this is the truth," Sharpe wrote in a message he screenshoted and posted on X (formerly Twitter). "The relationship in question was 100 percent consensual."




"At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties," his statement continued. "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 preseason." Sharpe concluded: "I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, fans, friends and colleagues."




In response to Sharpe's decision, a spokesperson for ESPN told TMZ: "This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon's decision to step away."




Read More: Shannon Sharpe Denies Rape Allegation As Lawyer Releases Disturbing Audio & Text Messages Surface: What We Know About The $50M Lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe Lawsuit Details

pic.twitter.com/jsVyWA1xbI
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) April 24, 2025

The woman who filed under the pseudonym, Jane Doe, did so on Sunday, claiming that she and Shannon Sharpe had a two-year relationship that became "controlling" and "abusive." "After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff - a woman more than thirty years younger than he - and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and raped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of 'no,'" the complaint alleges, as caught by BBC. She's seeking more than $50 million in compensatory and punitive damages.




Sharpe's attorney, Lanny J. Davis, previously put out a statement in immediate response to the lawsuit, saying that his client is "prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law," as caught by ESPN.




Read More: Shannon Sharpe Demands Tony Buzbee To Release 10-Minute Sex Tape And Threatens Defamation Lawsuit
The post Shannon Sharpe Officially Leaves ESPN Amid Sexual Assault Allegations appeared first on HotNewHipHop.



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