Shannon Sharpe Temporarily Steps Away from ESPN Following $50M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe is temporarily stepping away from his ESPN duties.

The former NFL star and current ESPN analyst announced Thursday via social media that he is stepping away from the network temporarily to focus on his family and address the ongoing legal allegations made against him.

In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Sharpe said the relationship in question was “100% consensual” and emphasized his decision to step aside was made to focus on responding to the lawsuit.

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“At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties,” Sharpe wrote. “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.”

Sharpe also thanked his supporters, writing, “I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, fans, friends and colleagues.”

ESPN said in a statement Thursday that “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”

The lawsuit, filed earlier this week, alleges Sharpe sexually assaulted a woman during what she described as a controlling and abusive relationship. The woman, identified in court as Jane Doe, is seeking $50 million in damages. Sharpe and his legal team have denied the claims and released personal messages they say show the relationship was consensual.

This isn’t the first time Sharpe has addressed the case. Days before releasing this statement, he posted a video to social media calling the allegations a “shakedown” and accusing the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, of manipulating the media with selectively edited footage.