Shannon Sharpe to "step aside temporarily" from ESPN amid $50 million sexual assault - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-26-2025, 12:20 AM

...and battery lawsuit

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...t/83218022007/

In a statement posted on Twitter today, the First Take regular and Pro Football Hall of Famer wrote that in wake of the lawsuit filed against him last Sunday, "I am eliciting to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties. I will be devoting my time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason. I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, friends and colleagues." ESPN said in a statement: "This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away." On Sunday, an anonymous Nevada woman filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against Sharpe, accusing him of turning their consensual relationship into a violent one, in which he recorded their sexual encounters and threatened her. Sharpe's attorney has called the lawsuit a shakedown. Sharpe's decision today comes as ESPN has been criticized for staying silent all week while keeping Sharpe on air amid the heinous allegations. Former SportsCenter anchors Sage Steele and Ashley Brewer-Kaminsky blasted ESPN, accusing the network of hypocrisy. "ESPN did not re-up contracts to women with conservative views or silenced them while Shannon has had multiple questionable actions involving women," tweeted Steele. "Just putting that out there.”

ALSO:

Fox Sports and Shannon Sharpe settled a lawsuit involving a physical incident with a female production assistant when he worked at FS1: "ESPN contributor Shannon Sharpe announced Thursday he is stepping away from the network as he faces a $50 million lawsuit on allegations that he raped a woman whom he was in a relationship with. While he contends with that suit, additional incidents from his past have come to light," reports Front Office Sports' Ryan Glasspiegel. "Before Sharpe’s time at ESPN, when he was the cohost of FS1’s Undisputed, he was accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace, two sources with knowledge of the incident tell Front Office Sports. One source said Sharpe and Fox settled with the accuser for several hundred thousand dollars. There was no lawsuit filed against Sharpe in the incident." A rep for Sharpe told FOS, “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.” Glasspiegel adds: "A Fox Sports spokesperson declined to comment prior to the statement from Sharpe’s camp and could not immediately be reached for follow-up."

TMC · 07-30-2025, 09:21 PM

ESPN cuts ties with Shannon Sharpe after rape lawsuit settlement.

ESPN cut ties with Shannon Sharpe after the Pro Football Hall of Famer settled a lawsuit with an ex-girlfriend who accused him of rape.

04-26-2025, 12:20 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,216	Shannon Sharpe to "step aside temporarily" from ESPN amid $50 million sexual assault ...and battery lawsuit https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...t/83218022007/ In a statement posted on Twitter today, the First Take regular and Pro Football Hall of Famer wrote that in wake of the lawsuit filed against him last Sunday, "I am eliciting to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties. I will be devoting my time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason. I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, friends and colleagues." ESPN said in a statement: "This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away." On Sunday, an anonymous Nevada woman filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against Sharpe, accusing him of turning their consensual relationship into a violent one, in which he recorded their sexual encounters and threatened her. Sharpe's attorney has called the lawsuit a shakedown. Sharpe's decision today comes as ESPN has been criticized for staying silent all week while keeping Sharpe on air amid the heinous allegations. Former SportsCenter anchors Sage Steele and Ashley Brewer-Kaminsky blasted ESPN, accusing the network of hypocrisy. "ESPN did not re-up contracts to women with conservative views or silenced them while Shannon has had multiple questionable actions involving women," tweeted Steele. "Just putting that out there.” ALSO: Fox Sports and Shannon Sharpe settled a lawsuit involving a physical incident with a female production assistant when he worked at FS1: "ESPN contributor Shannon Sharpe announced Thursday he is stepping away from the network as he faces a $50 million lawsuit on allegations that he raped a woman whom he was in a relationship with. While he contends with that suit, additional incidents from his past have come to light," reports Front Office Sports' Ryan Glasspiegel. "Before Sharpe’s time at ESPN, when he was the cohost of FS1’s Undisputed, he was accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace, two sources with knowledge of the incident tell Front Office Sports. One source said Sharpe and Fox settled with the accuser for several hundred thousand dollars. There was no lawsuit filed against Sharpe in the incident." A rep for Sharpe told FOS, “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.” Glasspiegel adds: "A Fox Sports spokesperson declined to comment prior to the statement from Sharpe’s camp and could not immediately be reached for follow-up."

07-30-2025, 09:21 PM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,216	ESPN cuts ties with Shannon Sharpe after rape lawsuit settlement. ESPN cut ties with Shannon Sharpe after the Pro Football Hall of Famer settled a lawsuit with an ex-girlfriend who accused him of rape.