As Shannon Sharpe faces multiple accusations of sexual assault, he explains the $10 million offered to one accuser, and Stephen A. Smith comes to his defense.
Source: Paras Griffin/Prince Williams
The sports media world was recently rocked by news of a rape lawsuit filed against former NFL star and current ESPN First Take analyst Shannon Sharpe. As a result of Sharpe’s lawsuit, he and ESPN mutually agreed that he would temporarily step away from his duties on the popular daily sports opinion show to focus on addressing the legal battle.

As previously reported, Sharpe is currently facing a $50 million lawsuit in which a former girlfriend claims she was raped several times. The former football star’s legal woes have caused mixed reactions, but Stephen A. Smith is standing strong behind his friend and colleague. Speaking on his YouTube show, Smith addressed the situation for the first time, offering a strong personal defense of Sharpe. Smith emphasized his personal connection with him, stating he doesn’t believe Sharpe is guilty of the accusations.

“Do I believe that Shannon Sharpe is guilty of what he has been accused of? Absolutely not. That is my personal opinion,” he stated. “The brother that I’ve come to know, I don’t believe would assault or rape anybody, and I’m going to state that emphatically, but just as emphatically, I’m going to remind everybody it is my opinion, because of what I feel about him, and not in any way imply that I know a damn thing beyond that, because I don’t know.”

Smith also expressed his understanding of ESPN’s decision to have Sharpe step back temporarily. As BOSSIP reported, Sharpe released a statement on April 24 revealing his decision to take a break from ESPN. Smith acknowledged the discomfort surrounding the allegations and the potential negative impact on the Disney brand.

“They didn’t need any definitive evidence at this particular moment in time about all of that stuff…it was uncomfortable to listen to, and it was not something that Walt Disney wants associated with its brand. So to have him on the airwaves while all of that stuff was put out, that was not something that Disney was going to take. That is what I mean when I say I’m not surprised.”

Shannon Sharpe Reportedly Offered Alleged Victim $10 Million In Exchange For Silence

According to TMZ, Sharpe offered his former girlfriend $10 million not to go forward with the lawsuit. His legal team released a statement addressing reports of a multi-million dollar settlement offer made earlier in the year. According to Sharpe’s counsel, Mitchell Schuster, the offer was not an admission of guilt, but rather a strategic move to prevent the “intimate details of his personal life from being exposed.” However, the statement indicated that circumstances have since changed, suggesting Sharpe is now prepared to fight the allegations more aggressively.

Sharpe’s representatives vehemently deny the accusations, labeling them a “shakedown” and asserting that the evidence supports his version of events. They also pointed to resurfacing allegations from a 2010 case involving a different woman, claiming these are being used to create a “fabricated narrative” against Sharpe.

Additionally, Sharpe’s team reiterated that his departure from ESPN was a mutual decision, not a firing, allowing him to focus on the legal proceedings. They maintained Sharpe’s stance that his relationship with the current accuser was consensual, albeit “rough in nature,” and that he never forced himself on her. Furthermore, Sharpe has vowed to pursue legal action against the accuser for defamation.

This all comes after the sports broadcaster released text messages indicating race play, and leaked audio of him threatening violence. It was also revealed that the alleged victim was 19-years-old at the time of their meeting.