Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN, ending the Pro Football Hall of Famer’s brief but high-profile run as a commentator on the network’s First Take sports-talk program. The decision comes less than two weeks after Sharpe settled a lawsuit filed by a former girlfriend who accused him of rape, allegations he forcefully denied.
The Athletic was first to report the move on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. ESPN declined to comment publicly, and no formal announcement has been made.
Sharpe, 57, had not appeared on ESPN since late April, shortly after the suit was filed in Nevada. At the time, he called the accusations “false and disruptive” and