Shannon Sharpe denies r*pe allegations after being sued for $50 million, his attorney calls them "blatant" and "cynical"

Hall of Fame NFL player Shannon Sharpe has denied r*pe allegations which were levied against him by an unidentified woman.

According to a report in the New York Post, in a civil lawsuit which was filed on April 20, 2025, in Clark County, Nevada, the woman alleged that the ESPN analyst had s*xually assaulted her in late 2024 and early 2025. She reportedly sued Sharpe for $50 million in damages, accusing him of r*pe, assault, s*xual assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Sharpe’s lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, described the lawsuit filed by Tony Buzbee as a “blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars,” calling it filled with “lies, distortions, and misrepresentations” that “will not succeed,” per a report in Marca.

The lawsuit filed by the plaintiff claimed that they had a “rocky consensual relationship” that lasted for two years. It began when Sharpe and his alleged victim met at a Los Angeles gym in 2023, the lawsuit indicated, according to Los Angeles Times.

What else do we know about the Shannon Sharpe’s case? Let us delve into the details.

Read more: Why was Shannon Sharpe sued for $50M? Details explored as the former professional football tight end is accused of s*xual assault

Exploring more details about the case

Shannon Sharpe has recently denied the accusations.

The Club Shay Shay podcast host shared a statement on April 21, 2025, through his attorney, Lanny J. Davis, on social media, where he categorically denied all allegations of misconduct. It said:

“Mr. Sharpe categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct — especially the gross lie of ‘r*pe’ — and will not submit to what he sees as an egregious attempt at blackmail. He stands firmly by the truth and is prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law.”

He further argued that the allegations were a lie and the woman (who was 19 when she met the 56-year-old Sharpe) tried to blackmail Sharpe through an edited video. He also attached a few explicit messages sent by the accuser to Sharpe. He claimed that the plaintiff “has refused to provide a copy of the full, unedited version of the recording to Mr. Sharpe’s legal team.”

“The evidence paints a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, s*xual language, and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested by” the plaintiff, Davis said in his statement.

According to a report in TMZ, the anonymous woman filed a lawsuit against Sharpe on April 20, 2025, where she claimed to be involved in a consensual relationship that turned controlling and verbally abusive. She also claimed that Sharpe allegedly threatened to kill her during one incident and recorded their s*xual encounters without her consent.

According to USA Today, the woman’s attorney wrote in the lawsuit:

"Sharpe flew into fits of anger when Plaintiff noted his infidelity to their relationship, or called him out about his extraneous activities. What had once been manipulation, control, and intimidation now became something far more dangerous and sinister. Sharpe even figured out how to get into her apapartment complex without her permission.”

“Sharpe made it clear that what she wanted was of no moment, that Sharpe would get what he wanted, when he wanted it. In October 2024, Shannon Sharpe violently sexually assaulted,” the plaintiff and ignored her requests to stop, noted the lawsuit.

The plaintiff is reportedly represented by attorneys Tony Buzbee and Micah Nash. As of now, the case remains unresolved as it is still in its early stages.

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