A civil lawsuit has been filed against retired NFL player Shannon Sharpe by a woman, referred to as Jane Doe, who claims she was raped and threatened during a tumultuous relationship with him. The suit, submitted in Clark County, Nevada, seeks $50 million (about AUD 77.85 million) in damages, accusing Sharpe of physical assault and causing emotional distress.
According to court documents, the two met in Los Angeles in 2023 when Doe was 20, leading to a nearly two-year relationship. The lawsuit alleges that Sharpe, now 56, raped her in October 2024 and again in January of the following year.
Sharpe’s response, communicated through a statement from his lawyer on social media platform X, contends that the relationship was consensual. The lawyer dismissed the lawsuit as a “blatant and cynical attempt to shake down” Sharpe for money, asserting that the claims are filled with inaccuracies aimed at discrediting him.
The lawsuit further alleges that Sharpe’s behaviour deteriorated over time, becoming verbally abusive and controlling, even threatening to kill Doe. It claims that Sharpe recorded their sexual encounters without her consent and resorted to anger when she confronted him about his infidelities. The complaint highlights that he managed to access her apartment complex without her permission.
Sharpe enjoyed a successful NFL career, earning four All-Pro titles and winning two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and one with the Baltimore Ravens between 1990 and 2003. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, retiring as the all-time leader among tight ends in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns—records that have since been surpassed.
Since his retirement, Sharpe has remained a prominent figure in media, formerly co-hosting FS1’s sports debate show Undisputed before transitioning to ESPN in 2023.
The legal proceedings are currently ongoing as the case develops.