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Shannon Sharpe’s legal saga appears to be over, at least on paper. The Hall of Fame tight end has officially reached a settlement in a sexual assault lawsuit filed earlier this year in Nevada, with Sharpe and the other side agreeing to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be refiled, per NBC.
Shannon Sharpe has reached settlement with 20-year old and lawsuit is dismissed pic.twitter.com/rGMSE4c4DQ
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 18, 2025
According to the accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, the case stemmed from a “long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship.” Though the original lawsuit demanded $50 million, Sharpe’s lawyer reportedly offered at least $10 million before the case even hit the courts. While the final settlement figure remains undisclosed, sources close to the situation say it likely exceeds that early offer.
The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, met the 56-year-old former Denver Broncos star at a Los Angeles gym in 2023. She claimed Sharpe manipulated and abused her during their relationship and accused him of repeatedly making violent threats, including that he would “brutally choke her and violently slap her.” Doe’s team later released audio recordings of Sharpe making disturbing comments, though his camp argued the recordings were taken out of context and part of consensual “role-playing” scenarios.
Sharpe has consistently denied all allegations and took a leave of absence from his role at ESPN back in April. In his public statement, he said he would “step aside temporarily” to focus on his family and the legal process, adding that he planned to return when the NFL preseason kicks off.
Return to the spotlight?
With the legal chapter closed, attention now shifts to Sharpe’s professional comeback. His voice has become a major fixture in sports commentary, especially since joining ESPN’s First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith. Whether that return happens without friction will depend on how audiences and sponsors react to the settlement and the allegations that led to it.
Shannon Sharpe has yet to issue a follow-up statement since the dismissal. The settlement may have resolved the legal dispute, but the court of public opinion remains undecided.
