NFL hall-of-famer and podcaster Shannon Sharpe has been sued for sexual assault by a woman, who says he raped her twice across a two month period last year in her Las Vegas home.
The Jane Doe, in a lawsuit filed on Sunday in Nevada state court, alleges assault and seeks at least $50 million. Sharpe “violently sexually assaulted and anally raped Plaintiff two different times in Las Vegas, Nevada, blatantly ignoring her requests for him to stop,” the complaint states. “He did it again in January.”
In a statement posted on X attributed to his lawyer Lanny Davis, Sharpe named his accuser and cited text messages that he says prove that the relationship was consensual. He said that he “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.”
Sharpe and the woman met in 2023 at a Los Angeles gym, according to the complaint. They soon entered into a relationship, which included consensual sex, that later turned violent, the lawsuit says.
After moving to Las Vegas, the woman alleges Sharpe, who also relocated to the area, confronted her and demanded she take him to her house. Once there, she claims he forced her to perform oral sex before penetrating her.
Three months later in January, Sharpe allegedly assaulted her a second time, the lawsuit alleges. He “grabbed her—pulling her around and positioning her to perform oral sex, which lasted for roughly two minutes,” the complaint states. “Then, Sharpe repositioned her and roughly forced himself inside her.”
The lawsuit brings claims for sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress for verbal abuse, among other things. Sharpe has also been sued in New York state court by an ex-girlfriend, who alleges he forced her to perform oral sex.
Tony Buzbee, who’s garnered headlines for representing scores of accusers in lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs, represents the woman suing Sharpe.
Last year, Sharpe inked a multiyear deal with ESPN that expanded his role on First Take, which has arguably become the network’s signature show.
