NFL legend wanted to delay news of ESPN firing after settling rape lawsuit

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Shannon Sharpe is “at peace” with his firing from ESPN, but what he really wanted was just a few more days before the news broke.

The NFL great-turned-broadcaster shared his feelings about the ouster, which was reported Wednesday by The Athletic, on the latest episode of his Nightcap podcast.

Sharpe opened up the episode by revealing he knew that he officially was done at ESPN since earlier this week, but he was hoping the news wouldn’t be made public until after this weekend for a very selfless reason.

This weekend his brother, Sterling Sharpe, will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Shannon didn’t want to overshadow his achievement.

Unfortunately for him, that did not happen.

“I found out this information a little earlier in the week and really the only thing that I really asked is, ‘Guys, could we wait until Monday? My brother’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I really want it to be about him and I want it to be about my family,’” Sharpe said. “I said, ‘This coming out will overshadow everything he’s worked his entire life for.’ And, unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way.”

Sharpe said he “profusely” apologized to his brother about the situation.

The 57-year-old Denver Broncos great was rocked by the bombshell $50-million civil lawsuit in April, in which it was alleged that he committed assault, sexual assault, sexual battery and battery.

The unidentified plaintiff accused Sharpe of sexually assaulting her several times beginning in late 2024.

Sharpe denied “all allegations of coercion or misconduct” in a statement through his legal counsel, also sharing intimate details of the relationship and graphic messages sent to him from the accuser, according to his lawyer, Lanny J. Davis.

WARNING: Explicit sexual details

Among the messages in the statement, the woman — who was only identified as Jane Doe in the court filing — allegedly told Sharpe that she wanted him to “put a dog collar around my neck” and “tie me up and do bad things to me,” while also asking for money to come and visit him.

“The evidence paints a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios,” Davis said.

Sharpe took leave from ESPN a few days after news of the lawsuit broke and initially said he would return at the start of the NFL pre-season, which began Thursday.

On the podcast, Sharpe said that he enjoyed his time at ESPN and understood the decision to part ways with him.

“I really enjoyed my time at ESPN, they gave me an opportunity to bring my audience that saw me really just grow,” Sharpe said on his podcast. “They did what they felt they needed to do, I’m at peace with that. I just wish this thing could’ve waited until Monday because I hate the fact that I am overshadowing my brother.

“First two brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and this is what the headline is going to be for the next couple of days.”