It has been a year of discontent for former Denver Broncos tight end and and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Sharpe is facing the first hearing in what could be a lengthy battle over a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him in Nevada.
“Now, more than two months after the case was filed against Sharpe, he has not responded to the civil complaint,” Florio wrote on July 6. “In most jurisdictions, a response is due within 30 days after service … The electronic database for the Clark County, Nevada civil court system shows various filings regarding the lawyer(s) who will be associated with the case. A hearing on three different motions to associate counsel is set for July 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time. The hearing originally had been set for June 30. Davis said in a press conference held two days after the filing of the case that Sharpe will file a counterclaim against the plaintiff. For now, though, there has been no formal response by Sharpe to the civil complaint.”
ESPN Benched Sharpe Shortly After Lawsuit
Few media members have experienced the sharp rise and steep fall Sharpe has over the last few years.
In that time, Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap” podcasts not only became 2 of the most popular podcasts in the world but he also became the hand-picked co-host of ESPN’s uber-popular “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith.
In the middle of a bevy of accusations of sexual assault and a $50 million civil lawsuit, Sharpe announced on April 25 he was stepping away from ESPN until the NFL preseason to deal with his unraveling personal and professional lives.
Sharpe, 56 years old, made the decision to step away just after he was accused of multiple instances of sexual assault by a female “Jane Doe” in a civil lawsuit filed in Nevada on April 20 by attorney Tony Buzbee, the same attorney who has represented alleged victims in lawsuits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, rapper/producer Sean “Diddy” Combs and rapper Jay-Z.
There’s still been no indication Sharpe will actually ever return to ESPN.
“The relationship in question was 100% consensual,” Sharpe wrote in a statement posted to his official X account on April 24. “At this juncture I am electing to temporarily step aside from my ESPN duties. I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason.”
More Accusations Pile Up Against Sharpe
The Nevada lawsuit wasn’t the only accusation levied against Sharpe, a 3-time Super Bowl champion with the Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
From Front Office Sports:”Before Sharpe’s time at ESPN, when he was the cohost of FS1’s Undisputed, he was accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace… One source said Sharpe and Fox settled with the accuser for several hundred thousand dollars. There was no lawsuit filed against Sharpe in the incident … In 2010, Sharpe briefly stepped away from his role on CBS’s NFL Today studio show after he was accused of sexual assault. He returned to the network after a restraining order was dismissed.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Broncos Hall of Famer, 3-Time Super Bowl Champion Facing More Legal Issues appeared first on Heavy Sports.