Shannon Sharpe and a woman who accused him of rape have settled a $50 million lawsuit, according to her attorney, Tony Buzbee. No dollar figures were disclosed in the deal that ends the blockbuster suit against the Pro Football Hall of Famer turned sports media star.
“Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship. After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution,” Buzbee announced on Instagram. “All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.” Representatives for Sharpe declined to comment.
The settlement increases the likelihood that Sharpe will return, as he previously predicted, to ESPN airwaves in time for the 2025 NFL season. A representative of Sharpe declined to comment on the future plans for the host of the Club Shay Shay and Nightcap podcasts. An ESPN rep declined to comment Friday afternoon.
In late April, Sharpe announced he was stepping away from his high-profile role as contributor to Stephen A. Smith’s First Take.
“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,” stated Sharpe at the time. ESPN issued its own statement, noting: “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”
In the lawsuit filed in Nevada, the woman identified only as “Jane Doe” claimed she met Sharpe at a gym when she was 19 years old. The couple engaged in a “rocky consensual relationship” that eventually devolved into violent sexual assault and rape, according to the suit.
But Lanny Davis, the high-powered attorney representing Sharpe, went public with several explicit messages from the woman, which he said proved they were in a consensual relationship.
The lawsuit represented a “blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars,” said Davis. The attorney added: “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.” The plaintiff turned down a previous $10 million offer to settle the suit, according to Davis.
The lawsuit came just after Front Office Sports reported Sharpe was negotiating a possible $100 million media deal for his Shay Shay Media empire. Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay episode with comedian Katt Williams has reached 90 million views and counting. The 57-year-old Super Bowl winner is also viewed at ESPN as a possible successor to Smith on First Take if he leaves the weekday morning show for politics, entertainment, or late-night TV.
