Shannon Sharpe temporarily steps away from ESPN after ex-girlfriend's $50-million rape lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe announced Thursday that helium has decided to temporarily measurement distant from his ESPN duties, 4 days aft a pistillate filed a $50-million civilian suit successful which she accuses the “First Take” panelist of raping her portion they were successful a two-year relationship.

The lawsuit, filed Sunday successful Clark County, Nev., seeks damages for claims of assault, intersexual assault, battery, intersexual artillery and intentional infliction of affectional distress portion alleging aggregate nonconsensual intersexual encounters successful her Las Vegas flat betwixt October and January.

“The narration successful question was 100% consensual,” Sharpe wrote successful a connection posted connected his X and Instagram accounts Thursday, hours earlier the commencement of the NFL draft. “At this juncture I americium electing to measurement speech temporarily from my ESPN duties.

“I volition beryllium devoting this clip to my family, and responding and dealing with these mendacious and disruptive allegations acceptable against me. I program to instrumentality to ESPN astatine the commencement of the NFL season.”

An ESPN spokesperson said successful a connection emailed to The Times that “this is simply a superior situation, and we hold with Shannon’s determination to measurement away.”

Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Fame choky end, archetypal addressed the allegations Tuesday successful a video posted connected Instagram, successful which helium called the suit “a shakedown.” Lawyers for some sides person acknowledged that Sharpe offered astatine slightest $10 cardinal to settee the lawsuit successful mediation earlier the suit was filed, but the accuser declined the offer.

Sharpe, 56, archetypal appeared connected “First Take” successful August 2023, 2 months aft his seven-year tally arsenic a co-host connected FS1’s “Undisputed” with Skip Bayless came to an end. In June 2024, Sharpe signed a multiyear declaration with ESPN that expanded his relation connected “First Take” and different shows connected ESPN arsenic well.

“Being a portion of this household has been a blessing,” Sharpe said astatine the time. “Everything astir this narration with ESPN, Stephen A. [Smith], and ‘First Take,’ has been tremendous. I look guardant to expanding my relation and showing much of the satellite what I person to offer.”

In September, Sharpe was progressive successful an incidental successful which helium claims helium accidentally livestreamed audio of himself having enactment connected Instagram Live. Sharpe was not publically disciplined by ESPN.

Sharpe besides is simply a palmy podcaster, hosting shows specified arsenic “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.” On Friday, Front Office Sports reported that Sharpe’s media woody with the Volume podcast web expired and Sharpe “has received aggregate offers and is expected to motion a woody that would transcend $100 million.”