Shannon Sharpe has been caught in a whirlwind of headlines as of late because of claims which have been leveled in opposition to him. The 56-year-old former tight finish is being sued for $50 million by a Jane Doe who’s accused him of raping her a number of occasions and threatening her. Since then, Sharpe has denied the sexual assault allegations and introduced his intention to step away from his internet hosting duties on ESPN’s First Take. Now, a supply is dropping a declare about who’ll fill in for the three-time Tremendous Bowl, and it’s a fellow former athlete.
Who May Change Shannon Sharpe Throughout His Hiatus?
The previous a number of years have seen quite a lot of former skilled sportsmen emerge as pundits on ESPN. Moreover, a few of them have simply been making waves within the media house generally. Jason Kelce is one such media character and, if The U.S. Solar’s insider is to be believed, he’s at the moment the favourite to interchange Shannon Sharpe on FT throughout his absence. This might mark one more notch in Kelce’s belt as he continues to work on the aforementioned information community.
In 2024, Jason Kelce – the retired Philadelphia Eagle and future corridor of famer – was tapped to hitch Monday Evening Countdown on Disney’s sports-centric community. He additionally has a chat present that airs on the channel, which is titled They Name It Late Evening. His dealings with the large sports activities conglomerate apart, Kelce additionally serves as a co-host of the New Heights podcast alongside his brother, Travis. Whereas this newest report about Jason needs to be taken with a grain of salt, his rising resume does make him a viable First Take fill-in.
No matter who finally ends up becoming a member of First Take, it’s honest to say that somebody would have to be tapped for the gig sooner quite than later. All of the whereas, Shannon Sharpe nonetheless has to contend together with his authorized points.
What’s Shannon Sharpe’s Historical past With ESPN And What’s Going On With His Authorized State of affairs?
In 2023, Shannon Sharpe exited FS1, the place he hosted Undisputed, following some heated on-air drama with co-host Skip Bayless. It was in September of that very same yr that Sharpe started serving as a recurring panelist on First Take. The ex-Denver Broncos star’s takes drew eyes and he additionally drew jokes for unintentionally referring to Stephen A. Smith as “Skip.” Smith later requested followers to not be so laborious on Sharpe for making that mistake. In February 2024, Sharpe signed an extension to stay on this system and, by that June, he signed an total cope with ESPN.
The Membership Shay Shay host’s time at ESPN has been eventful, to say the least. In December 2024, he clapped again at his co-workers for criticizing his feedback on the job safety of Ohio State coach Ryan Day. The corridor of famer additionally went viral final yr after he unintentionally livestreamed himself having intercourse, an act that drew reactions from followers and fellow pundits.
As for the lawsuit Shannon Sharpe is at the moment dealing with, it was filed days in the past in Clark County, Nevada. Tony Buzzbee, the lawyer notably representing numerous plaintiffs who’ve sued Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, is representing the girl. She accused Sharpe, who she supposedly met in LA in 2023 when she was 20, of raping her in October 2024 and once more in January 2025. Buzzbee launched a press release to CBS Information, saying, the swimsuit “lays out a sample of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse, together with allegations that Sharpe repeatedly threatened to choke and slap Jane Doe.” Sharpe later launched a video, via which he denied the allegations and claimed Buzzbee and Jane Doe have been making an attempt to extort him.
Shannon Sharpe’s intention is to be again on the air in time for the beginning of the NFL season, for which there might be an exhibition recreation held in July. Nonetheless, ESPN has not confirmed a particular return date for Sharpe. Within the meantime, we’ll have to attend and see if Jason Kelce does certainly find yourself taking his seat on First Take.