Shannon Sharpe sued for $50M over alleged battery

Hall of Fame tight end and sports commentator Shannon Sharpe is being sued for $50 million over accusations of rape and physical assault. The lawsuit was filed in Nevada on Sunday by a woman using the name Jane Doe. It describes a deeply troubling pattern of alleged abuse that lasted for almost two years.

Warning: descriptions of sexual assualt, rape, and battery below

As reported by ProFootballTalk, the claims suggest Sharpe was controlling and abusive, leading up to two alleged sexual assaults. Doe, who was 20 years old when she met Sharpe at a Los Angeles gym in 2023, says the 56-year-old Sharpe aggressively pursued her after their first meeting, per TMZ.

He reportedly offered to “buy her fake breasts” if she won a weight-loss challenge with him, starting a pattern of constant contact that eventually turned into a consensual relationship. However, Doe claims the relationship soon became abusive. Sharpe allegedly controlled much of her time and activities, demanding she come to his Beverly Glen mansion whenever he wanted.

Sharpe is being sued for rape and battery

The lawsuit describes ongoing verbal abuse and controlling behavior, suggesting a relationship built on pressure and fear. Things took a drastic turn when Doe tried to end the relationship. Part of what led to this decision was an incident in September 2024 when Sharpe accidentally broadcast himself having sex on Instagram Live. After this, Doe tried to pull away from Sharpe, which allegedly made him furious.

According to the lawsuit, Sharpe reacted with violence and threats. When Doe tried to share her location with friends for safety, Sharpe supposedly caught her, grabbed her by the neck, and made a terrifying threat: “If you ever do that again, I will f***ing kill you.” Keep in mind that all of this is alleged, and there’s no proof that any of this happened.

The lawsuit also accuses Sharpe of two separate rapes. The first allegedly happened in October 2024 at Doe’s apartment, where Sharpe is said to have forced himself on her despite her crying and begging him to stop. The second alleged assault occurred in January 2025, when Sharpe supposedly showed up under the pretense of giving her a late Christmas and birthday gift.

Doe is being represented by well-known lawyer Tony Buzbee, who previously handled lawsuits against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson on behalf of multiple women. The lawsuit asks for $50 million in damages, reflecting the severe emotional and physical harm Doe says she endured.

The timing of the lawsuit is significant because reports suggest Sharpe is close to signing a podcast deal worth more than $100 million. So, it is intriguing that these allegations only came up when a deal of that magnitude was reported.