Shannon Sharpe announces plans to temporarily step away from ESPN amid sexual assault allegations

Shannon Sharpe has announced his intention to temporarily step away from ESPN days after he was involved in a lawsuit claiming he sexually assaulted a woman.

The announcement was posted on Sharpe’s X account.

“I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me,” a portion of Sharpe’s statement read.

Sharpe said he plans to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason in August.

The lawsuit, which was filed by prominent Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, alleges that Sharpe “brutally sexually assaulted” a woman on multiple occasions.

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While Sharpe has admitted to having a sexual relationship with the alleged victim, he has stood by the fact that their relationship was completely consensual.

On Monday, Sharpe released sexually explicit and graphic text messages allegedly sent by the complainant, claiming that they prove that the two were engaged in a relationship with consensual physical aggression.

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Buzbee’s camp released audio from a recorded phone call between Sharpe and the complainant, in which Sharpe is heard threatening to “choke the s--- out of her.”

As one of his many responsibilities as a prominent figure in sports media, Sharpe makes regular appearances on the popular ESPN sports talk show “First Take.”

It is unclear whether or not his other media responsibilities outside of the ESPN bubble, such as the “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap” podcasts, will also be impacted by this hiatus.