Shannon Sharpe responds after sexual assault accuser releases audio, vows to sue for defamation

Shannon Sharpe spoke out Tuesday for the first time since TMZ reported Monday he was being sued for allegedly raping a woman on multiple occasions. The plaintiff in the case is asking for $50 million in damages from the Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and ESPN “First Take” contributor.

Sharpe’s accuser released audio to TMZ on Tuesday, while Sharpe was on the air on ESPN, in which Sharpe is heard saying, “Lord have mercy. If you say that word one more time, I will fu*king choke the sh*t out of you when I see you.” In a video posted to his X account, Sharpe called it a “shakedown,” and vowed to file a defamation suit. Sharpe accused lawyer Tony Buzbee of targeting Black men like himself.

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— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) April 22, 2025

“To my family, friends, supporters, and colleagues, I want to speak to you directly and from the heart,” Sharpe said. “This is a shakedown. I’m going to be open, transparent, and defend myself because this isn’t right. This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who has targeted Jay-Z. Tony Buzbee targets Black men, and I believe he’s going to release a 30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make me look guilty and plays into every stereotype you can possibly imagine.

“That video should actually be 10 minutes or so. Hey Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out. I don’t have it, or I would myself. You know what happened and you’re trying to manipulate the media. The encounter in question took place during the day at her invitation. And now, that appears to be a deliberate setup coordinated by Gabby, also known as Carly on OnlyFans. Gabby and Tony Buzbee want $50 million. What they’re getting is sued for defamation and trying to take me down.

“My career is all about real talk and honesty. I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about. And I’m going to be out there telling you whatever I need to say, just like I always do. I love all of you guys. Thanks.”

Shannon Sharpe sued for $50 million over alleged sexual assaults

TMZ obtained the lawsuit, which was filed by a Jane Doe on Sunday in Nevada. It claims Sharpe brutally sexually assaulted her several times at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, following a longtime abusive relationship.

According to the lawsuit via TMZ, “Doe met Sharpe in 2023 at a gym in Los Angeles. She was 20 years old, and he was in his mid-50s. Doe stated in the docs during their first encounter, Sharpe told her he would, ‘Buy her fake t**s’ if she won a weight-loss competition with him.

“She wrote in the suit Sharpe proceeded to pursue her relentlessly, calling, texting and ‘demanding she come to his Beverly Glen mansion.’ The woman stated she and the former Denver Broncos tight end ultimately got into a consensual relationship, though she described it as controlling and verbally abusive.”

Buzbee is representing the plaintiff. He represented 20-plus women who alleged sexual misconduct against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. He wrote in Doe’s suit that Sharpe “demanded complete control over her time and body, expecting her to be at his house on his schedule, at his command, whenever he called.”

*FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE LAWSUIT, CLICK HERE*

Shannon Sharpe did not address the lawsuit while on “First Take.” Sharpe’s lawyer Lanny Davis is planning a 2 p.m. ET press conference on Tuesday, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

On3’s Steve Samra contributed to this report.