5 Things to Know About Shannon Sharpe's $50 Million Sexual Assault and Battery Lawsuit

A woman accused NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe of sexual assault and battery in a $50 million lawsuit filed in Nevada state court on April 20, RadarOnline.com reported.

In the complaint obtained by the news outlet, the plaintiff — who submitted the filing under the name Jane Doe — alleges Sharpe raped her on multiple occasions throughout their "rocky consensual relationship" that turned "controlling" and "abusive." The complaint notes the ESPN personality committed numerous instances of assault, sexual assault, battery and sexual battery.

The accuser, who is seeking $50 million in damages, also alleges that Sharpe recorded their sexual activities and shared the videos with others without her knowledge and consent.

"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 complaint states, as cited by RadarOnline.com. "Defendant Shannon Sharpe, a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants, completely fails to understand this basic concept."

The lawsuit continues, "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.'"

According to the woman, she first met Sharpe at a gym in Los Angeles in 2023 when she was just 19 years old. While she did not know him at the time, she could tell Sharpe was older than her as she found him "physically intimidating."

After the former NFL tight end introduced himself to her, he reportedly incessantly pursued the plaintiff until she gave in and agreed to meet him outside the gym. Although he asked the woman to sign a non-disclosure agreement before their date, he reportedly dropped the request after the woman pushed back. They formed a romantic connection afterward, per the lawsuit.

"She discovered over time that Sharpe was extremely emotional and possessed an uncontrollable temper. He displayed the characteristics of a true narcissist," the complaint highlights.

The suit also claims Sharpe "demanded complete control over her time and body, expecting her to be at his house on his schedule, at his command, whenever he called."

To support her claims, the plaintiff recalls the September 2024 incident during which Sharpe went live on Instagram while having an intimate moment with another woman. She allegedly "pulled away" from him afterward, prompting Sharpe to flood her phone with calls.

"Sharpe flew into fits of anger when Plaintiff noted his infidelity to their relationship or called him out about his extraneous activities," the suit continues.

The filing then references an October 2024 incident, during which Sharpe allegedly forced her into a car, took her to her apartment and sexually assaulted her. He then coerced her to perform oral s-- before he raped her anally.

The lawsuit describes, "Sharpe grabbed her head, forcing her to look at him as she sobbed. He said at that point: 'Look at this. Look at my arm. I've got chills. That's how good this is.'"

In January, Sharpe asked the woman to come to her apartment to receive her combined Christmas and birthday present. However, upon her arrival, he sexually assaulted her again and refused to use a condom.

The woman is being represented by high-profile attorney Tony Buzbee, who previously acted on behalf of the accusers of Sean "Diddy" Combs and NFL star Deshaun Watson.

"I'm extremely proud to represent Jane Doe. 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," Buzbee said in a statement.

Following the filing, Sharpe's attorney Lanny Davis refuted the claims and asserted that what his client and the plaintiff had was consensual. He also said the alleged sexually explicit text messages the woman sent show "a broader pattern of graphic, sexual communications initiated by [the accuser]."

"The evidence paints a clear picture: this was a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language, and fantasy scenarios," Davis added in the statement to People.

He continued, "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. He stands firmly by the truth and is prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on the facts and the law."

In a bombshell recording released by the attorneys for the accuser, Sharpe can apparently be heard threatening the woman to choke her after she tells him not to manipulate her.

"If you say that word one more time, I'm gonna f------ choke the s--- out of you when I see you," Sharpe says in the recording.

After the woman tells him she does not want to be choked, he replies, "Yes, you do. I don't think you have a choice in the matter."

Buzbee shared the recording to reporters via email, writing, "The attached audio reveals the nature of Sharpe’s relationship with Jane Doe immediately prior to the alleged assault."

But in an April 22 press conference, Davis said the threat to choke the woman was made "in the heat of the moment," insisting Sharpe had no intention to harm her or be violent with her.

Sharpe and Davis also responded to the initial allegations by name-dropping the accuser, with the attorney claiming she had "waived her right to privacy" when she made the "willfully false" allegation.

On X, Sharpe uploaded a video in which he called the lawsuit a "shakedown" and accused Buzbee of orchestrating the lawsuit while trying to "manipulate" the media.

"That video should actually be 10 minutes or so," said the retired NFL player. "Hey, Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out. I don't have it or I would myself."

After denying the woman's claims, Sharpe announced there will be a counterclaim.