EXCLUSIVE, UPDATED with additional details: Shannon Sharpe is unlikely to appear on ESPN‘s First Take next week.
Due to serious allegations of rape, a $50 million lawsuit, and a complicated financial settlement involving the NFL Hall of Famer, the network under Jimmy Pitaro has opted to sideline Sharpe from his typical Monday and Tuesday appearances on First Take, which is hosted by Stephen A. Smith.
It remains uncertain if Sharpe will return to First Take in the following weeks.
Currently, ESPN, a subsidiary of Disney, plans to “further investigate” the claims made in the lawsuit, particularly those involving a Jane Doe, as well as Sharpe’s assertion that the accusations are unfounded and the relationship was consensual. The revelation from Sharpe’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, about providing a $10 million settlement to his accuser to keep the matter quiet has also raised “concerns” within ESPN.
ESPN declined to comment on Sharpe’s removal from First Take, and Sharpe’s lawyer did not respond to requests for his input on ESPN’s actions.
(UPDATE, 12:04 PM: Shortly after Deadline published this report, Sharpe announced online that he was “electing to temporarily step aside from my ESPN duties.” An ESPN spokesperson later confirmed, stating: “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”)
In a detailed lawsuit filed in Nevada on April 20, a 21-year-old Jane Doe accused the 56-year-old Sharpe of raping and abusing her on two occasions in Las Vegas within the past year during their relationship. They reportedly began dating after meeting in a gym in Los Angeles in 2023. The civil lawsuit seeks $50 million and alleges assault, sexual assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit claims that Sharpe manipulated and controlled the plaintiff, who is over thirty years his junior, and violently threatened her before allegedly raping her despite her desperate pleas. Jane Doe was publicly identified online by Davis shortly after filing the suit, while many media outlets, including Deadline, typically refrain from naming sexual assault accusers unless they come forward themselves. Davis released text messages purportedly from Doe that aimed to illustrate a consensual relationship, characterized by role-playing and sexual exchanges.
