Shannon Sharpe, Stephen A. Appear Overly Optimistic About Sharpe's ESPN Return Following Sexual Assault Suit

(Editor's Note: Please be advised that there is explicit language in this story.)

When Shannon Sharpe announced plans to step away from ESPN last month, he vowed to return by the start of the football season. 

"At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties," Sharpe said in a statement. "I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason."

However, sources tell OutKick that Sharpe's return is no guarantee. 

In April, an ex-girlfriend filed a $50 million lawsuit against Sharpe, alleging sexual assault, rape, and sexual battery. He maintains he is innocent and that the relationship was consensual.

According to the New York Times, Sharpe faces a separate lawsuit in New York filed in 2023. In that suit, another ex-girlfriend accuses Sharpe of sexually assaulting her during an argument in 2010. A recent report from Front Office Sports states that Sharpe had previously settled with a female production assistant at FS1, who accused him of choking her. 

Still, he has a powerful ally in Stephen A. Smith, who is ESPN's biggest star and the executive producer of "First Take." On Thursday, Smith said he remains "hopeful" Sharpe will return to ESPN in August.

"He is emphatic that he is innocent of those things," Smith said about Sharpe. "But the court of public opinion is what the Disneys of the world and others concern themselves with. That’s a more immediate issue.

"And unfortunately, that has worked against him at this particular moment in time. So I’m hopeful this will all go away. I’m hopeful that I’ll have my brother back on the airwaves talking football next season."

ATLANTA - (L-R) Cam Newton, Shannon Sharpe, Molly Qerim, and Stephen A. Smith attend ESPN First Take at Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College on November 8, 2024. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Sources in the building say ESPN views Sharpe as one of the few true difference makers in terms of linear television viewership. The company showed how much it valued Sharpe last year, re-signing him to a $6.5 million annual salary for just two days of work a week.

His popularity, along with his relationship with Smith, helps his chances of returning to ESPN at some point.

That said, no one in television is invincible. Even if Sharpe's name is cleared of the allegations, his relationship with the accuser raises questions about his character.

Notably, the Jane Doe's lawyer released an audio recording in which Sharpe is allegedly heard threatening to choke "the shit out of" the woman during an argument.

Further, since-released text messages spotlight a particularly ugly exchange between Sharpe and his accuser.

"But I cried when u left because I begged you to put a condom on and not put it in my ass and u didn’t listen," the woman said, per texts reviewed by the New York Post. "I don’t care what our history is, no means no shannon."

While comparatively benign, Sharpe live-streamed a video on Instagram in September in which a woman is heard moaning. Sharpe claims he streamed the audio "accidentally," but confirmed it was during a sexual act.

For a Disney employee, Sharpe's sex life is awfully public. At the very least, Sharpe is a nearly 60-year-old man finding himself in toxic, public relationships with OnlyFans models 35 years younger.

Sharpe is valuable. But is he that valuable?

It's hard to argue he is.

Shannon Sharpe. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

After all, ESPN just inked Stephen A. to a five-year, $100 million contract to co-host "First Take." If Smith is worth that amount of money, he shouldn't need Sharpe's participation that badly.

ESPN has other options. The network signed Peter Schrager to a multi-year contract last month. Schrager is arguably the most informed and interesting NFL commentator on a daily basis.

The network can also go find another former football player to spar with Smith. In fact. Sharpe was a replacement himself, filling a role vacated after ESPN dismissed Michael Irvin for facing sexual misconduct allegations of his own in 2023.

(Who is doing the hiring over there?)

Disney must also consider the precedent it'd set by allowing Sharpe to return. Already, former ESPN anchor Sage Steele criticized the network for taking conservative views more seriously than actual bad behavior.

"There’s a long list of examples where ESPN/Disney considers having conservative viewpoints a much greater offense than questionable character," Steele said, in response to a video of Sharpe daring the accuser to release a full sex tape between the two.

Ashley Brewer Kaminsky, a conservative anchor who ESPN laid off in 2023, also referenced how ESPN seemingly took her politics more seriously than Sharpe's conduct.  

"Never forget when I got chewed out by my boss for posting a pic of a republican congressman & UFC fighter on my instagram story at the Mcgregor fight. LOL," Brewer commented below Steele's post.

Well, luckily for Sharpe, he made it clear he is no fan of Donald Trump …

Yeah … 

Ultimately, sources within the industry don't expect ESPN to bring Sharpe back. The question is whether Stephen A. Smith has enough influence to convince ESPN to change its mind and give Sharpe another chance.