Shannon Sharpe Departs ESPN After Legal Settlement
Former NFL star and First Take co-host Shannon Sharpe has left ESPN, a source told CNN—just weeks after settling a lawsuit with a woman who accused him of rape. The woman, who met Sharpe at a Los Angeles gym in 2023, described their relationship as “rocky but consensual,” alleging he raped her as recently as January. The $50 million case was settled on July 18, with terms undisclosed.
Sharpe, 56, addressed his departure on the Nightcap podcast, saying he had hoped ESPN would delay the announcement until after his brother Sterling Sharpe’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. “I hate that I’ve overshadowed my brother,” he said, adding that Sterling, a former Green Bay Packers wide receiver, accepted his apology.
“ESPN did what they felt they needed to do, and I’m at peace with that,” Sharpe said.
A Hall of Fame tight end with three Super Bowl wins, Sharpe built a successful media career after retiring. He co-hosted CBS’s The NFL Today, FS1’s Undisputed, and most recently First Take. He also hosts the Club Shay Shay podcast.