Shannon Sharpe, a Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame tight finish and present ESPN host, stated Thursday he would step away from his TV duties after a Nevada girl sued him for sexual assault and battery in Nevada civil courtroom.
“At this juncture I’m electing to step apart quickly from my ESPN duties,” Sharpe stated in a press release. “I can be devoting this time to my household, and responding and coping with these false and disruptive allegations set in opposition to me. I plan to return to ESPN initially of the NFL preseason.”
ESPN additionally issued a press release, saying: “This can be a critical state of affairs, and we agree with Shannon’s choice to step away.”
Sharpe, who labored on “First Take” on ESPN, is accused of sexually assaulting a girl he met in a Los Angeles-area well being membership in 2023.
The lawsuit, filed below the pseudonym Jane Doe, says the girl and Sharpe had a “rocky consensual relationship” lasting almost two years however that it turned “controlling” and “abusive.” The go well with describes intimately a lot of more and more aggressive encounters and says the connection grew to become “fearful and non-consensual” in the summertime of 2024. It says the 2 final met Jan. 2.
In response to the grievance, Sharpe grew to become more and more verbally abusive, controlling and violent over time, as soon as threatening to kill the girl and recording their sexual encounters with out consent.
The go well with, filed by the legislation agency headed by Tony Buzbee (who additionally represented a lot of girls who filed civil fits in opposition to NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson), asks for greater than $50 million in damages and penalties.
Sharpe was a four-time All-Professional tight finish who performed on two Tremendous Bowl championship groups with the Denver Broncos and one other with the Baltimore Ravens over 14 seasons from 1990 to 2003. He was voted into the Corridor of Fame in 2011.
Sharpe has been a staple on TV and social media since retiring. He left FS1’s sports activities debate present “Undisputed” in 2023 and joined ESPN quickly afterward.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
