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Pro Football Hall of Famer and media personality Shannon Sharpe said on Thursday he is stepping away from ESPN.
Sharpe regularly appears as a panelist on "First Take" and is currently embroiled in a $50 million sexual assault and battery civil lawsuit.
Sharpe said in a statement: "My statement is found here and this is the
truth. The relationship in question was 100 % consensual.
"At this junction I am eliciting to step aside temporarily from my ESPN
duties. I will be devoting my 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. I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my
family, friends and colleagues."
ESPN said in a statement: "This is a serious situation, and we agree
with Shannon’s decision to step away."
Sharpe first joined "First Take" in August 2023 after he reached a
buyout with Fox Sports in June 2023 to leave FS1's "Undisputed." Sharpe appeared alongside Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's "First Take" on Mondays
and Tuesdays and signed a multi-year contract with ESPN in June. Sharpe
was set to expand his role on "First Take" and his presence across ESPN platforms under the new deal, but he'll now be missing from the ESPN
airwaves entirely.
https://www.usatoday.com/sports/
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