Shannon Sharpe Accused of Choking Coworker Years Before Sexual Assault Lawsuit: Report

Shannon Sharpe was reportedly accused of misconduct with a coworker years before he was named in a sexual assault lawsuit.

Sharpe, 56, allegedly choked a female production assistant when he hosted FS1’s Undisputed, according to a Thursday, April 24, report by Front Office Sports. The outlet claimed that they spoke with “two sources with knowledge of the incident,” one of whom alleged Sharpe reached an undisclosed settlement with the unnamed accuser. A lawsuit was not filed at the time.

Sharpe vehemently denied the allegations in a statement.

“There was no incident of choking involving Shannon on the FS1 set,” a spokesperson for the NFL commentator told Us Weekly of the program Sharpe hosted from 2016 to 2023. “On one occasion, he and a few colleagues were involved in some light physical interaction in a playful context. Fox Sports later chose to resolve the matter privately. For further details, we recommend contacting Fox directly.”

It is not known when the alleged incident on the set of Undisputed took place or if it is connected to the accusations in his ongoing rape case. News broke on Sunday, April 20, that Sharpe was accused of rape and sexual battery in a $50 million lawsuit filed by an individual referred to as “Jane Doe” in Nevada. Doe claimed that she and Sharpe were involved in a “rocky consensual relationship” for two years.

Sharpe denied the allegations, stressing in a Thursday social media statement that the “relationship in question was 100 percent consensual.”

In light of the scandal, Sharpe also took a leave of absence from his broadcasting duties.

“At this juncture, I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties,” he wrote via Instagram Story on Thursday. “I will be devoting this 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.”

He continued, “I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, friends, fans and colleagues.”

Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, also claimed that Doe’s lawsuit was “filled with lies, distortions and misrepresentations” in a statement to Us.

“It will not succeed,” Davis said on Monday, April 21, accusing Doe of attempting “a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.