Shannon Sharpe fired by ESPN: Why he wanted network to wait after lawsuit settlement
The Hall of Fame tight end and media commentator is disappointed news of the network's decision to move on from him couldn't hold until after his brother's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Sharpe, who had made twice-weekly appearances on ESPN's "First Take" since 2023, revealed this on his "Nightcap" podcast on Wednesday, July 30, and confirmed that he learned his time at ESPN was over earlier this week.
Sharpe said his only request was that the network wait until Monday, Aug. 4, to release the news. His older brother, longtime Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, is being enshrined in Canton, Ohio as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025 on Saturday.
Shannon and Sterling Sharpe are set to become the first pair of brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Shannon Sharpe was inducted in the class of 2011.
ESPN "did what they feel they needed to do and I'm at peace with that," Shannon Sharpe said. "But I just wish guys, I just wish this thing could have waited until Monday because I hate the fact that I've overshadowed my brother. The first two brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and this is what the headline is going to be for the next couple of days."
ESPN has yet to publicly comment on Sharpe's status since The Athletic first reported the network's decision to cut ties with him on Wednesday, July 30. The split between ESPN and Sharpe occurred less than two weeks after Sharpe settled a $50 million lawsuit related to sexual assault and battery accusations by an ex-girlfriend.
Sharpe last appeared on ESPN in April, stepping away after the lawsuit was initially filed. But he publicly denied the allegations, calling it a "shakedown," and maintained his relationship with the accuser was "100% consensual." Sharpe said at the time he planned to return to ESPN's airwaves when NFL training camps began ahead of the 2025 season.
The settlement in Sharpe's case came to light on July 18 when Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the woman identified as "Jane Doe" in the court filing, announced the sides had reached a resolution and the lawsuit would be dismissed. No details of the agreement were released.
The woman accused Sharpe of sexually assaulting her twice, in October 2024 and January 2025, after previously engaging in the intentional infliction of emotional distress. She said Sharpe became violent over the course of their relationship and recorded their sexual encounters without her consent. Sharpe never faced criminal charges in the matter.
Sharpe, 57, retired from the NFL in May 2004 after a 14-year career in which he won three Super Bowls and became the first tight end with more than 10,000 career receiving yards.
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