Pro Football Hall of Famer and ESPN “First Take” analyst Shannon Sharpe is facing serious legal trouble. According to a report by TMZ Sports on Monday morning, a woman identified as “Jane Doe” has filed a $50 million sexual assault lawsuit against Sharpe in Nevada, accusing him of assault, sexual assault, battery, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The 13-page lawsuit details a troubling timeline that allegedly began in 2023, after the two met at a gym in Los Angeles. Doe claims that Sharpe aggressively pursued her—calling, texting, and pressuring her to visit his Beverly Glen mansion. She describes their relationship as abusive and controlling.
Among the most serious allegations, the lawsuit claims that Sharpe secretly recorded their sexual encounters without her knowledge or consent—and that he shared those recordings with others. The filing also accuses Sharpe of physically threatening her life when she tried to share her phone location with friends.
“Plaintiff tried sharing her location with friends from her iPhone — just in case,” the lawsuit states. “But Sharpe saw her doing this. The moment he realized what she was doing, he grabbed her by the neck and told her, ‘If you ever do that again, I will f***ing kill you.’”
The legal complaint traces the relationship’s breakdown to an incident in September 2024, when Sharpe allegedly unintentionally recorded himself during a separate sexual encounter with another woman. After that, Jane Doe attempted to cut ties, but according to the lawsuit, Sharpe continued to pursue her.
The lawsuit also outlines two alleged incidents of sexual assault. Doe claims the first occurred in October 2024 at her apartment, where Sharpe allegedly forced himself on her while she was “crying and sobbing.” She states a second assault took place in January 2025, when Sharpe came to her home under the pretense of delivering Christmas and birthday gifts, but instead violently assaulted her again.
Jane Doe is represented by attorneys Micah Nash and Tony Buzbee, and she is seeking $50 million in damages through the civil suit.
As of now, no criminal charges have been reported in connection with the lawsuit. Sharpe, a prominent figure both in sports media and the NFL community, has not publicly responded to the allegations.
This is a developing story, and more updates are likely to come as the legal proceedings move forward.
