Shannon Sharpe is facing a slew of startling allegations, including sexual assault and battery, from a woman known as Jane Doe in a new lawsuit. The accusations came seven months after Sharpe, 56, accidentally live-streamed a sexually explicit incident. After the lawsuit was filed, the ESPN commentator announced he will not be seen on the network’s First Take for the time being, prompting viewers to assume he was fired.
Below, find out whether or not Sharpe will return to ESPN and learn about the lawsuit against him.
Who Is Shannon Sharpe?
Sharpe is a former NFL tight end, best known for his time playing with the Denver Broncos from 1990 through 1999 and again from 2002 to 2003. He is still regarded as one of the league’s greatest tight ends of all time and is a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Following his retirement from the field, Sharpe became a sports commentator for CBS then eventually joined ESPN for First Take. In addition to network gigs, Sharpe has also hosted podcasts, among them being “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.”
Was Shannon Sharpe Fired by ESPN?
No, ESPN has not fired Sharpe. He acknowledged that he was stepping away from his job at First Take to manage the sexual assault lawsuit against him in April 2025.
“At this juncture, I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties,” Sharpe wrote in a statement shared via X on April 24. “I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me.”
Sharpe then added that he plans “to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason.”
The network commented on Sharpe’s hiatus in a statement, which read, “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away,” according to CNN.
Is Shannon Sharpe Married?
No, Sharpe is not currently married, and he’s presumably never been married. It’s also unclear if he is in a relationship at the time of publication. His former girlfriend Michelle Bundy Evans accused him of rape and sexual assault in a $4 million defamation suit, according to The U.S. Sun.
Does Shannon Sharpe Have Kids?
Yes, Sharpe is a father to his three children, Kiari, Kayla and Kaley.
What Are the Allegations Against Shannon Sharpe?
In the 2025 lawsuit against Sharpe, Jane Doe alleged that he “violently sexually assaulted and anally raped Plaintiff … “blatantly ignoring her requests for him to stop” in October 2024 and then again in January 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, per CNN.
The lawsuit alleges, “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.’”
Sharpe has vehemently denied the accusations, and his attorney, Lanny J. Davis, insisted that their relationship was “sexual in nature — and, in many cases, initiated by her with specific and graphic requests.” The lawyer added that Sharpe “looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law,” according to CNN.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
