Shannon Sharpe is bummed. Not just because he lost his job at ESPN, but also because of the timing of the news.
Sharpe addressed his firing for the first time publicly on the Wednesday, July 30, episode of his “Nightcap” podcast.
“I found out this information a little earlier in the week, and really, the only thing that I really asked was, ‘Guys, can we wait until Monday?'” he said.
But somehow, the news got out.
The former Broncos tight end said he wanted ESPN to hold off on the announcement because his brother, Sterling Sharpe, is being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.
“I said this coming out would overshadow everything that he’s worked his entire life for,” Sharpe added, but said things didn’t go the way he requested.
He said he “profusely apologized” to his older brother, who told him everyone makes “mistakes,” assuring him, “I’m your big bro and I’m going to love you regardless.”
Related: Shannon Sharpe Sacked by ESPN After Settling $50M Sex Assault Lawsuit
Sharpe continued by expressing gratitude to ESPN for giving him an opportunity to join the network’s on-air lineup of contributors.
“But I just wish … this thing could’ve waited until Monday, because I hate the fact that I’m overshadowing my brother, the first two brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this is what the headline is going to be for the next couple of days,” he said.
The Athletic first reported news that ESPN had cut ties with Sharpe earlier in the day on July 30 — with the news coming two weeks after he settled a $50 million rape lawsuit filed by an anonymous Jane Doe accuser.
ESPN declined comment to Urban Hollywood 411, but an individual at the network with knowledge of the situation confirmed, “Shannon is not returning.”
On April 24, Sharpe announced he would be taking time off from the network because of “false” allegations against him. At the time, many sports analysts said it was unlikely he would return to ESPN, which is owned by family-friendly company Disney.
The accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, filed a 13-page civil lawsuit in Nevada on April 20.
The lawsuit said the woman began dating Sharpe in 2023, when she was 19 years old and the former NFL star was in his 50s. She admitted they had a tumultuous relationship and alleged he raped her at her apartment on Oct. 6, 2024, after she broke things off with him. The complaint alleged Sharpe raped her again on Jan. 2, 2025.
Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny Davis, released a statement calling the lawsuit a “blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.”
On April 22, Sharpe released a video statement on social media insisting he had done nothing wrong.
“This is a shakedown. I’m going to be open, transparent, and defend myself because this isn’t right,” he stated. “This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who has targeted Jay-Z. Tony Buzbee targets Black men.”
But Davis would reveal a bombshell. He told reporters during a virtual news conference that Sharpe had been in mediation with the woman and offered to pay her “at least $10 million,” when Buzbee suddenly filed the $50 million lawsuit.
On July 18, Buzbee released a statement announcing the case had been settled.
“Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” Buzbee said. “After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution. All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed.”
Ryan Glasspiegel of FrontOfficeSports.com reported the situation with Jane Doe wasn’t the first time Sharpe had been accused of misconduct with a woman.
Glasspiegel reported when Sharpe worked at FS1, “he was accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace.” Glasspiegel said he spoke to two unnamed sources before reporting the allegations.
The report said one source told him “Sharpe and Fox settled with the accuser for several hundred thousand dollars,” preventing a lawsuit from being filed.
However, a rep for Sharpe denied the incident ever occurred.
“There was no incident of choking involving Shannon on the FS1 set. On one occasion, he and a few colleagues were involved in some light physical interaction in a playful context. Fox Sports later chose to resolve the matter privately. For further details, we recommend contacting Fox directly,” the rep said.
Glasspiegel said a Fox representative declined comment.
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