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Shannon Sharpe to Attend NFL Draft Amidst Legal Controversy
Shannon Sharpe, currently facing scrutiny, intends to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay on Thursday, despite the escalating drama surrounding a significant lawsuit alleging misconduct. The former NFL player plans to continue with his public appearances even as serious accusations surface.
Sharpe’s Draft Night Plans
The 56-year-old Sharpe is being sued by a former girlfriend for a substantial sum, with claims of repeated misconduct during their relationship. Sharpe has denied these allegations, asserting they are an attempt to secure a financial settlement.
Despite missing ESPN’s First Take program on Wednesday morning, Sharpe is scheduled to appear at Lambeau Field on Thursday. He will join Chad Ochocinco as co-host of a draft night special for their podcast, ‘Nightcap.’
- Sharpe and Ochocinco will interview NFL legends and newly drafted players.
- The interviews will take place throughout the first round of the draft.
- The event will be broadcast live as announced on the podcast’s Instagram on Wednesday.
Legal Proceedings and Evidence
Since news of the lawsuit emerged, attorneys for both Sharpe and the accuser have presented new evidence. This includes a text message where the accuser allegedly told Sharpe ‘no means no’ following one incident.
Audio footage obtained by the Daily Mail purportedly captures Shannon Sharpe threatening to choke the woman bringing the lawsuit. His lawyer has characterized the threat as a statement made ‘in the heat of the moment’ and ‘not intended seriously.’
Accusations and Counterclaims
The accuser claims she was mistreated by Sharpe during their relationship, which began in 2023 when she was 20 and he was 53. The lawsuit details multiple instances of alleged misconduct.
Key Allegations:
- The first alleged incident occurred in October of the previous year.
- The lawsuit claims Sharpe forced himself on her while she was upset.
- Further accusations detail another incident in January following promises of gifts.
Shannon Sharpe’s attorney provided text exchanges that he claims show ‘a pattern of sexual role-playing’ initiated by the accuser. One message, allegedly sent on January 2, includes the statement: ‘I cried when u left because I begged you to put a condom on and not put it in my a** and u didn’t listen. I don’t care what our history is, no means no shannon.’
She also reportedly added, ‘Idk [I don’t know] how to process this.’
Additional Audio Evidence
The plaintiff’s legal representative released a second recorded phone call, said to be between Sharpe and his former partner. Similar to a previous recording, Sharpe is purportedly heard threatening the woman.
The precise date of this recording is not known, and significant context surrounding the conversation is unclear.
In the recording, the woman states, ‘I’m not really interested in getting choked,’ according to TMZ.
A voice, purported to be Sharpe’s, responds, ‘I may choke you in public… Big black guy chokes small white woman.’
The woman then replies, ‘It’s not a good look, Shannon.’
The male voice responds with, ‘Not a good look that you did what the s*** you did to me,’ though the specific reference is vague.
This tape is similar to another recording previously released, where Sharpe is heard saying; ‘I’m gonna f***ing choke the s*** out of you when I see you.’
His attorney verified the authenticity of that prior recording but maintains his client spoke in anger and that the threat was not serious.
Claims of Infidelity and Escalation
The accuser alleges she attempted to distance herself from Shannon Sharpe after he purportedly livestreamed a sexual encounter with another woman—an action he claims was accidental. She contends that this led to an agitated response from Sharpe.
According to court filings, on October 6, 2024, the plaintiff was at a gym when Sharpe allegedly approached her aggressively, appearing furious. The filing states he told her, “Sit the f*** down or I’m going to kill you,” after she refused to speak with him and accused him of infidelity. His response was allegedly disregardful, telling her, “You don’t have a choice.”