Shannon Sharpe Accused of Rape, Plans Defamation Suit Against Accuser, Lawyer

Shannon Sharpe, former NFL star and current sports media personality, has been sued in Nevada for $50 million by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who accuses him of sexual assault and battery over a nearly two-year relationship. Sharpe has strongly denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a 'shakedown' orchestrated by the plaintiff's attorney, Tony Buzbee, whom he accuses of targeting Black men and manipulating the media with selectively edited video evidence. Sharpe and his lawyer, Lanny Davis, insist the relationship was consensual and have released text messages to support his defense, while also planning to countersue for defamation. The accuser's legal team has released audio they claim shows Sharpe making threats, but Sharpe's camp asserts these were taken out of context and not meant literally. Both sides have referenced a sex tape, with Sharpe urging the release of the full video rather than an edited clip. The case has drawn public attention, with Sharpe addressing his followers directly on social media and his legal team contesting the claims in court and the press.