Shannon Sharpe takes leave from ESPN’s First Take after being accused of rape in $50m lawsuit

Sharpe, 56, is an NFL Hall of Famer

Shannon Sharpe has announced he is temporarily stepping away from his work on ESPN after being accused of rape in a $50 million lawsuit by a woman using the pseudonym “Jane Doe,” alleging a litany of offenses including sexual battery and assault.

The 56-year-old NFL Hall of Famer made the statement on social media by posting a screenshot of a text message. The former Denver Broncos tight end said he needs time away from his work to fight allegations that he called "false and disruptive."

The announcement on his personal X account reads: “My statement is found here and this is the truth. The relationship in question was 100% consensual.”

He added: “At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties. I will be devoting this 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.”

Sharpe noted that he “sincerely” appreciates “the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, fans, friends and colleagues.”

Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe is seen on the set of The NFL Network along Radio Row earlier this year in New Orleans, Louisiana (Getty Images)

The NFL preseason typically begins in early August. In a statement reported by Variety, ESPN said: “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”

The 13-page lawsuit, which was filed Sunday in a Nevada court, alleges that the ESPN analyst committed assault, sexual assault, battery, sexual battery, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress, all during a “rocky consensual relationship.” The relationship was with a woman more than 30 years younger than Sharpe, and lasted for two years.

“Mr. Sharpe categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct – especially the gross lie of ‘rape’ — and will not submit to what he sees as an egregious attempt at blackmail,” Lanny J. Davis, who is representing Sharpe, said in the statement, according to the New York Post.

“He stands firmly by the truth and is prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law,” Davis added.

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The woman suing Sharpe alleges that Sharpe sexually assaulted her multiple times at the end of last year and at the start of this year. It also alleges that Sharpe threatened to kill her, and displayed “manipulating and controlling” behavior, and that he “repeatedly” threatened to “brutally choke and violently slap her.”

The lawsuit reportedly states: “One time specifically, he was yelling at her while there was a firearm visible in his room. Terrified for her safety, Plaintiff tried sharing her location with friends from her iPhone — just in case. But Sharpe saw her doing this. The moment he realized what she was doing, he grabbed her by the neck and told her ‘If you ever do that again, I will f****** kill you.’”

The legal filing also states that Sharpe secretly recorded the two having sex without the woman’s knowledge, and subsequently shared the footage with friends without her being aware of the tape or giving her permission.

According to Front Office Sports, Sharpe was previously accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace while employed by Fox Sports.

The publication quotes a source as saying Sharpe and Fox settled with the accuser for several hundred thousand dollars, and no lawsuit was brought as a result of the incident.

This claim was disputed by a representative for Sharpe, who told Front Office Sports: “There was no incident of choking involving Shannon on the [Fox Sports 1] 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.”

A Fox Sports spokesperson had earlier declined to comment.