Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe made headlines last week in connection with his pursuit of a nine-figure podcast deal. This week, he’s facing an eight-figure lawsuit.
Sharpe was sued on Sunday by a woman proceeding under the “Jane Doe” pseudonym. The 13-page civil complaint, filed in a Nevada state court, alleges that Sharpe committed assault, sexual assault, battery, and sexual battery, and that he engaged in the intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The plaintiff claims that they embarked on a “rocky consensual relationship” that lasted nearly two years.
The complaint alleges that Sharpe recorded their sexual activities, something without her knowledge, and that he was sharing the videos with others without her permission or knowledge. The complaint contends that it was another woman, not the plaintiff, with whom Sharpe was having sex when he “accidentally” livestreamed the encounter on Instagram.
That was, per the complaint, the moment at which the plaintiff “began to pull away from Sharpe.” The complaint claims that he relentlessly pursued her after she stopped answering her phone or sharing her whereabouts.
The complaint contends that Sharpe confronted the plaintiff in October 2024, after she had commenced efforts to separate from him. The complaint details the ensuing encounter, which culminated in allegedly forcible sex against her consent.
Another alleged incident happened in January 2025. The complaint alleges that Sharpe engaged in unprotected sex with the plaintiff, despite her efforts to get him either to stop or to wear a condom.
From the first page of the complaint: 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. 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.’”
The complaint seeks a minimum of $50 million from Sharpe. If/when there’s a trial, the recovery, if any, will be determined by a jury, based on the evidence and the law. The number can, in theory, be anything.
The plaintiff is represented by Micah Nash and Tony Buzbee. Buzbee rose to prominence in NFL circles via the representation of more than 20 plaintiffs who sued quarterback Deshaun Watson, starting in early 2021.
It is a civil case, with no criminal consequences attached directly to it. Sharpe will have all available defenses available to him as the case proceeds.
