Shannon Sharpe won’t return to ESPN after settling rape lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN as a commentator after all, leaving the network two weeks after settling a rape lawsuit.

Sharpe, 57, stepped aside from the network in April, days after the suit was filed. At the time, he said he planned to return during NFL training camps, which began last week.

But instead, Sharpe will not return to the network at all, The Athletic reported Wednesday. He did not publicly comment on the news.

A Nevada woman sued Sharpe in April, accusing him of raping her twice during a tumultuous and emotionally abusive relationship. Sharpe denied the allegations, claiming he was the victim of a “shakedown.”

Sharpe and the woman agreed to settle the suit in July, and it was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be filed again. Details of the deal were not released.

“Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” the woman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, wrote in a July 18 Instagram post. “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.”

At the time of the lawsuit, Sharpe was appearing twice a week on the popular ESPN morning show “First Take” alongside network star Stephen A. Smith. Less than a year earlier, he signed a new contract with ESPN that reportedly included a bigger role.

Originally Published: July 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM EDT