Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe says he’s stepping away from his duties as an ESPN analyst after a lawsuit was filed towards him in Nevada on Sunday.
The lawsuit was filed by a girl who says she met the 56-year-old Sharpe at a Los Angeles gymnasium in 2023 when she was 20. A two-year consensual relationship ensued throughout which, she alleges, he raped her.
Sharpe, who has beforehand denied the allegations, stated on Thursday that the connection was “100% consensual” and that he was “electing to step apart briefly from my ESPN duties.”
Within the assertion, he added: “I might be devoting this time to my household, and responding and coping with these false and disruptive allegations set towards me. I plan to return to ESPN in the beginning of the NFL preseason.”
Sharpe has customary a profitable media profession on tv and podcasts since he retired from the NFL, and had lately signed a contract extension with ESPN. In a press release on Thursday, ESPN commented on Sharpe’s determination.
“This can be a severe scenario, and we agree with Shannon’s determination to step away,” the community stated.
Within the lawsuit, the girl additionally claims Sharpe as soon as threatened to kill her after she arrived at his home. Moreover she alleges he filmed a few of their sexual encounters and shared the footage with others. She is in search of $50m in damages.
Her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, launched audio earlier this week through which somebody, allegedly Sharpe, may be heard threatening to choke the girl. Buzbee has additionally represented girls who say they’ve been assaulted by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson. On Thursday, Sharpe stated in a video posted to Instagram that the lawsuit is a “shakedown,” and Buzbee “targets Black males”. Sharpe’s lawyer additionally stated the audio recording was “closely edited and brought totally out of context.”
Sharpe briefly stepped away from his position at CBS Sports activities in 2010 after a girl accused him of sexual assault. Sharpe by no means confronted prison expenses over these allegations, and he later returned to his job.
Sharpe performed 14 seasons within the NFL, received three Tremendous Bowls and was an eight-time Professional Bowler. He was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2011.
