‘OnlyFans model ruined…’: Shannon Sharpe's rape lawsuit, ESPN decision costs him millions
Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN weeks after the Hall of Famer settled a lawsuit that accused him of sexually assaulting a woman during their relationship
Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, citing sources. This comes days after the Hall of Famer tight end-turned-broadcaster settled a lawsuit that accused him of sexually assaulting a woman during their relationship. Neither the channel nor Sharpe have commented on the reported decision.
About two weeks ago, the accuser's attorney announced that Sharpe has reached a settlement. However, specifics were not released. The lawsuit had sought $50 million.
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Sharpe called the accusations ‘false and disruptive’ at the time they were levied and hoped to return in time for the NFL season.
‘An OnlyFans model…’
Several NFL fans reacted to Shannon Sharpe and ESPN parting ways.
“Shannon Sharpe's accuser retired from OnlyFans after agreeing to a settlement less than 2 weeks ago. Now he’s retired too 😭” one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Shannon Sharpe really fumbled that ESPN bag over some mid,” another one tweeted.
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“hannon Sharpe really fumbled the ESPN bag all for an OF girl. Sheesh,” a third one said.
The accuser has not been officially identified yet.
Sharpe, a four-time All-Pro tight end who won three Super Bowls during his 14-year career, had signed a reported multi-year contract with ESPN last year. It was reported to be worth millions.
The 57-year-old retired as the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (815), yards receiving (10,060) and touchdowns (62). Those records have been broken.
Sharpe has been a staple on TV and social media since retiring. He left FS1’s sports debate show “Undisputed” in 2023 and joined ESPN soon afterward. He served as a panelist on the network's morning show “First Take.”
