Shannon Sharpe has announced that he will be leaving his position at ESPN, which comes four days after a woman filed a complaint alleging that he sexually assaulted her.
In an announcement that was made on his X page on Thursday afternoon, the Pro Football Hall of Famer said that he is “temporarily” abandoning his spot at the “First Take” desk in order to deal with “false and disruptive allegations set against me.” That choice was made.
Additionally, Sharpe said that as of right now, he is aiming to return to his position next to Stephen A. Smith later this summer, which is about around the time when the preseason of the NFL begins.
In his statement, Sharpe expressed his gratitude to his supporters for the outpouring of love that he has gotten this week. This comes after a Jane Doe filed a complaint on Sunday, claiming that he sexually attacked her between the months of October 2024 and January 2025, after they had been in a relationship for about two years.
During the course of his statement, Sharpe said that he had not engaged in any illegal activity, stating that “the relationship in question was 100% consensual.”
It was in the year 2023 that Sharpe made his debut on the airways of ESPN, after Smith had persuaded him to be his partner on the show “First Take.” An extension to continue participating in the program was granted to him in February of 2024. It was not a problem for him to appear on the episodes of the program that aired on Monday and Tuesday, despite the fact that he filed on Sunday.
Following the news made by Sharpe, a spokeswoman for ESPN said to TMZ Sports, “This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”
