Shannon Sharpe has officially broken his silence following the news of his exit from ESPN, and he’s not holding back about how it all went down. In a video message shared this weekend, the former “First Take” contributor revealed that he knew about the decision days in advance but had hoped to delay the announcement until after his brother’s Hall of Fame induction.
“Everybody’s heard the news by now that I will not be returning to ESPN,” said Sharpe on the ‘Nightcap’ podcast. “I found out this information a little earlier in the week. The only thing I really asked is if we can wait until Monday. My brother’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I really wanted it to be about him, and I wanted it to be about family.”
Sharpe, who quickly became a fan favorite on ESPN’s First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith, said the premature leak of his departure overshadowed what was supposed to be a proud family milestone.
“I just wish this thing could have waited until Monday,” he added. “I wanted it to be about everything he worked his entire life for.”
Sharpe, a former NFL star, was hoping to postpone the release is his employment status to celebrate his brother, Sterling, making it into the Hall of Fame. Now, however, he’s stuck reflecting on the past after an abrupt and bitter end to his latest media tenure.
“I enjoyed my time at ESPN. It gave me an opportunity to bring my audience that saw me really just grow,” said Sharpe. “They saw me say ‘Lakers in five’ and all these analogies my grandparents gave me, and I was able to bring that to ESPN, and I’m grateful for that.”
Sharpe had been off the air for weeks leading up to his firing, no doubt having to do with the civil case that was recently settled out of court.
Sharpe had to pay out $50 million in a lawsuit that accused him of brutal crimes, including battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The victim alleges that Sharpe sexually assaulted her twice, threatened her life, and recorded their sexual encounters multiple times without her consent. Sharpe has always denied the allegations, calling them “false and disruptive,” but he was still willing to pay $50 million to make them disappear.
Unfortunately, the situation has already done significant damage to Sharpe’s image and media career. That’s not to mention the incident last year where he was caught in a social media sex scandal. His reputation will always carry that stain now, and he may no longer be hireable by any of the major networks.
While Sharpe was only with them a relatively short time, it feels like the end of an era at ESPN and not one that anyone saw coming. With how much hype he brought in, fans were sure this would pan out, but Sharpe is living proof that all it takes is one scandal to take down your career.
Whether Sharpe’s time away from the spotlight is temporary or permanent remains to be seen. What’s certain is that his journey—from Hall of Famer to headline-grabbing broadcaster—has taken an unexpected and painful detour. As one of the most recognizable voices in modern sports media, Sharpe now faces the toughest opponent of his career: redemption.
