ESPN has dropped former NFL Star Shannon Sharpe following a settlement in a legal case where his ex-girlfriend accused him of rape. The case brought forth by Gabriella Zuniga brought national attention to the star, but he denied all allegations. He went public with her identity after she tried to keep her name out of the media. Zuniga alleges Sharpe assaulted her during their two-year relationship and she asked for over $50 million in damages.
Lawsuit Against Shannon Sharpe
At the beginning of their relationship in 2023, Zuniga was only 19 years old. The two met at a Los Angeles gym, and their relationship was considered to be rocky but consensual. She alleges Sharpe sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions, once as recent as January 2025. She also claims he was generally violent throughout their relationship, threatening to kill her, and recording their sexual encounters without her knowledge.
The lawsuit filed against Sharpe detailed the nature of his relationship with Zuniga from her point of view. It states, “Sharpe flew into fits of anger when Plaintiff noted his infidelity to their relationship or called him out about his extraneous activities.” According to her, “What had once been manipulation, control, and intimidation now became something far more dangerous and sinister. Sharpe even figured out how to get into Doe’s apartment complex without her permission.”
Parting Ways with ESPN
Sharpe denied the claims, but settled at the beginning of July, and the case has since been dismissed. He has not been active on ESPN since the end of April, when the lawsuit was initially filed. He anticipated his return to the network at the beginning of NFL training camp. However, that is no longer the case, and ESPN has declined to comment on the matter.
He was the face of the morning sports debate show “First Take” since his run on “Undisputed” debating Skip Bayless ended in 2023. Once the news came out that he and ESPN had parted ways, he went on his podcast Thursday to say, “I’m sure everybody’s heard the news by now that I will not be returning to ESPN.” He insinuated that he had been involuntarily let go rather than it being a mutual decision.
Sharpe has two podcasts, Nightcap and Club Shay Shay, which have millions of subscribers. He is most known for his 14 years in the NFL, spent with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, and for being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
While he did not address the allegations on his more recent podcast, he acknowledged his younger brother Sterling Sharpe’s upcoming induction to the Hall of Fame and apologized. “I really want it to be about him, and I want it to be about my family… This coming out will overshadow everything he’s worked his entire life for,” he said.
“(ESPN) did what they felt they needed to do, and I’m at peace with that,” Sharpe added. “But I just wish this thing could have waited until Monday, because I hate the fact that I’ve overshadowed my brother. The first two brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this is what the headline’s going to be for the next couple of days.”
Resolution
The terms of the settlement agreement between Sharpe and Zuniga were not disclosed. On July 18, her attorney, Tony Buzbee, wrote in a post on X, stating, “After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution.”
“Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” he added. “All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed.” No criminal charges were filed against Sharpe, and the case has been dismissed without prejudice, meaning the same claim cannot be brought forth again in the courts.
