Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: NFL, American Football, ESPN
Ben McCrum
Topics: NFL, American Football, ESPN
Shannon Sharpe's legal team have released a series of x-rated messages on social media in response to legal accusations made against the NFL broadcaster.
On Sunday, a former partner of NFL hall of famer Sharpe filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada accusing him of sexual assault and battery.
The woman claims that she met the 56-year-old, who denies all allegations, at a gym in Los Angeles in 2023 when she was 22 and the pair went on to have a two-year consensual relationship.
However, during this time the woman claims that Sharpe raped her, which has now led to the ESPN analyst's legal team releasing a series of x-rated messages allegedly sent between the pair.
The woman, listed in legal documents as Jane Doe, also claims that her former partner filmed and shared videos of some of their sexual encounters and even threatened to kill her on one occasion.
"A woman can say 'yes' to consensual sexual relations with a man ninety-nine times, but when she says 'no' even once, that 'no' means no," the lawsuit stated.
"Defendant Shannon Sharpe, a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants, completely fails to understand this basic concept. After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff – a woman more than thirty years younger than he – and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and raped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of 'no.'"
Sharpe's legal team responded to the lawsuit with a lengthy statement denying the allegations, while also sharing a number of explicit message allegedly sent by the woman to the former NFL player during their relationship.
It read: "Mr Sharpe categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct – especially the gross lie of 'rape' – and will not submit to what he sees as an egregious attempt at blackmail."
The statement went on to describe the lawsuit as "a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars", adding that "it is filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations — and it will not succeed."
The woman is seeking $50m (£37.9m) in damages and is represented by Tony Buzbee, a lawyer who also represented other women in claims against Sean 'Diddy' Combs and NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson.
"I'm extremely proud to represent Jane Doe," Buzbee posted on Instagram, confirming his involvement in the claim against Sharpe. "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up against those with power, fame and money. I look forward to pressing this case in court."
Sharpe played 14 seasons in the NFL, won three Super Bowls an was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.