Overview

• ESPN officially ended its relationship with Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe on July 30, removing him from First Take and other duties.
• Sharpe and his accuser reached a confidential agreement on July 18 that resulted in the $50 million civil suit being dismissed with prejudice.
• The April complaint alleged that Sharpe raped the plaintiff twice—in October 2024 and January 2025—and secretly recorded their intimate encounters.
• Sharpe has denied all wrongdoing as a “shakedown,” and federal or state authorities never brought criminal charges in the matter.
• He continues to host his independent Club Shay Shay and Nightcap podcasts through his Shay Shay Media imprint despite losing his ESPN role.