ESPN is transferring on from Shannon Sharpe lower than two weeks after the NFL Corridor of Famer settled a rape lawsuit filed by a former girlfriend.
Sharpe, 57, is not going to return to the community, in keeping with a report by The Athletic revealed on Wednesday, July 30.
Us Weekly reached out to ESPN, who declined to remark, and to representatives for Sharpe.
The information comes after Sharpe settled a $50 million rape and sexual assault lawsuit on July 18 out of court docket.
“After protracted and respectful negotiations, I'm happy to announce that we've reached a mutually agreed upon decision,” Sharpe's accuser's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, wrote through X. “All issues have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.”
No legal costs had been filed in opposition to Sharpe and monetary particulars of the settlement weren't publicly launched.
Sharpe denied the allegations all through the method and vowed to return to the community after asserting a depart of absence in April. He had not appeared on air since.
“At this juncture I'm electing to step apart quickly from my ESPN duties,” Sharpe posted through his Instagram Story on April 24. “I might be devoting this time to my household, and responding and coping with these false and disruptive allegations set in opposition to me. I plan to return to ESPN in the beginning of the NFL preseason.”
The NFL preseason will get underway on Thursday, July 31, when the Detroit Lions face the Los Angeles Chargers within the annual Corridor of Fame Recreation in Cleveland, Ohio.
Sharpe added, “I sincerely admire the overwhelming and ongoing help I've acquired from my household, mates, followers and colleagues.”
In 2023, Sharpe joined ESPN morning present First Take as a recurring panelist. Sharpe later signed a multiyear deal to develop his function on the present in June 2024.
Throughout his tv hiatus, Sharpe has continued to host his podcasts, “Membership Shay Shay” and “Nightcap,” the latter of which he cohosts with former NFL participant Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.
In Might, Sharpe introduced they'd made the choice to postpone a “Nightcap” eight-city podcast tour.
“We stay up for seeing you guys in the summertime of 2026,” Sharpe mentioned on the Might 23 episode. “It's going to be even larger, even higher. However Ocho and I've come to the conclusion that that is one of the best factor as of proper now, was to postpone the tour. We stay up for seeing each one in every of you in 2026.”
Within the now-settled lawsuit, filed in Nevada on April 20, Sharpe was accused of committing assault, sexual assault, battery and sexual battery in opposition to an unidentified lady, named solely as Jane Doe.
Doe alleged she met Sharpe at a Los Angeles fitness center when she was 20 years previous and he was in his mid-50s.
In accordance with the lady, she and Sharpe had “a rocky consensual relationship” over a two yr span, throughout which she alleged that Sharpe inflicted intentional emotional misery. Among the many allegations, Doe accused Sharpe of typically recording their sexual exercise with out her consent after which displaying the footage to others.
The lady accused Sharpe of raping her twice, as soon as in October 2024 and once more in January.
Lanny J. Davis, Sharpe's lawyer, instructed Us Weekly on April 21 that Doe's lawsuit is “crammed with lies, distortions and misrepresentations — and it'll not succeed.” He accused the lady of making an attempt “a blatant and cynical try to shake down Mr. Sharpe for tens of millions of {dollars}.”
Sharpe denied the entire lawsuit's accusations, together with “the gross lie of ‘rape.'”
For those who or somebody you already know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
