For the past several months, Shannon Sharpe’s fate at ESPN has been uncertain. That’s been due to the legal situation that the professional football player-turned-media personality became ensnared in this past April. At the time, a Jane Doe accused 57-year-old Sharpe of rape and more. Sharpe eventually stepped away from his duties at the Disney-owned sports network as a result, and he settled the lawsuit earlier in July. Now, it seems the media conglomerate has reached a decision on his future with the company.
According to sources, Shannon Sharpe has been dropped by ESPN, and this news comes by way of The Athletic. This reported decision comes months after Sharpe stated that he planned to return to the media company at the start of NFL training camp. Neither the network nor Sharpe himself have commented on the matter, as of this writing. This move not only marks the departure of another personality at ESPN but it also closes the book on a chapter in Sharpe’s media career.
The former Denver Bronco has made various media appearances since retiring from the NFL in 2003. Henotably rose to prominence as a sports pundit when he joined FS1’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, which premiered in 2016. During Sharpe’s tenure on that program, he bumped heads with co-host Skip Bayless on a few occasions. In 2023, their relationship came to a head when Sharpe walked off set after 45 seconds on air, a move that stemmed from comments Bayless made in relation to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Shannon Sharpe formally exited Undisputed in the fall of 2023, at which point he began to serve as a recurring panelist on ESPN’s First Take. In a short amount of time, Sharpe’s appearances on the show began to gain traction amongst fans. That was in great part due to him accidentally calling Stephen A. Smith “Skip.” He eventually, however, signed an extension in February 2024. Sharpe’s run at the network wasn’t without controversy, as he went viral for accidentally livestreaming a sex act. Additionally, Sharpe went off on fellow employees who criticized his coverage of Ohio State’s football program.
The lawsuit leveled against the podcast host was filed in Clark County, Nevada. As noted by The Athletic, the 20-year-old Jane Doe sued Sharpe on the grounds of “pain and suffering, psychological and emotional distress, mental anguish, embarrassment and humiliation.” Sharpe vehemently denied the allegations, calling the suit a “shakedown” and saying that he and the woman were engaged in a consensual relationship. Her lawyer, Tony Buzzbee, announced on July 18 that the lawsuit had been dismissed, saying the following:
After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution. All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.
While his tenure with the House of Mouse’s flagship sports brand is now over, Shannon Sharpe is still involved with other media ventures. He’s the co-host of the Club Shay Shay podcast and also co-hosts Nightcap with fellow NFL veteran Chad Ochocinco. The Athletic notes that before the sexual assault lawsuit emerged, Sharpe was on the verge of landing a podcasting deal that may have been valued at $100 million.
It remains to be seen whether ESPN will release an official statement regarding the decision to cut ties with Shannon Sharpe. The same can be said as for whether Sharpe might choose to address the topic on his podcast.
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