On April 22, 2025, significant developments emerged in the sexual assault lawsuit against former NFL star Shannon Sharpe when the accuser’s attorney released an audio recording purportedly capturing Sharpe threatening to choke the woman who has accused him of rape. This case has quickly drawn national attention, pitting a well-known sports media personality against serious allegations of sexual misconduct and intimidation.
The attorney representing the woman accusing Shannon Sharpe of rape, Tony Buzbee, released a 1:36 minute audio clip allegedly containing a conversation between Sharpe and the accuser. In the recording, which is claimed to have taken place toward the end of their relationship, Sharpe can be heard making threatening statements when the woman accuses him of manipulation.
The transcript of the audio reveals a concerning exchange:
Woman: “I don’t know anything I say, you’re just gonna like get mad at and you’re just gonna hang up on me.”
Sharpe: “I’m not gonna hang up on you. Here’s what it is.”
Woman: “What, what does that even mean?”
Sharpe: “Nothing… You want to be a dick to me now, so…”
Woman: “I don’t wanna be, don’t manipulate me.”
Sharpe: “Ah, lord have mercy. If you say that word one more time, I’m gonna fucking choke the shit out of you when I see you. Thank you.”
After several long pauses in the recording, the woman responds:
“I don’t want to be choked,”
to which Sharpe allegedly replies:
“Yes, you do. I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.”
The release of this audio recording appears to be a calculated move by the plaintiff’s legal team to bolster their claims about Sharpe’s allegedly threatening behavior toward the accuser.
Attorney Tony Buzbee filed the lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe on April 20, 2025, on behalf of a woman identified only as “Jane Doe” in court documents. The civil suit seeks $50 million in damages and was filed in a Las Vegas, Nevada district court.
Nature of the Allegations
The lawsuit contains several serious allegations against Sharpe:
- The plaintiff claims Sharpe “violently sexually assaulted and anally raped” her twice – once on October 4, 2024, and again in January 2025 in Las Vegas.
- According to the lawsuit, Sharpe “manipulated and controlled” the woman throughout a nearly two-year relationship that began in 2023 when she was only 20 years old and Sharpe was 56 – a more than thirty-year age difference.
- The complaint alleges a consistent “pattern of intimidation, manipulation and abuse” by Sharpe, including repeated threats to “brutally choke and violently slap her”.
- The lawsuit states that Sharpe “blatantly ignored her requests for him to stop” during the alleged sexual assaults.
The court documents describe a relationship that began at a gym in Los Angeles in 2023, where the two met and initially engaged in consensual sexual encounters. However, the lawsuit claims the relationship deteriorated after Sharpe allegedly went on Instagram Live while having sex with another woman, which created tension in their relationship.
After the woman moved to Las Vegas, where Sharpe also relocated, she claims he confronted her at her home. The lawsuit alleges that during this encounter, he compelled her to perform oral sex before penetrating her. Three months later, in January 2025, the woman claims Sharpe assaulted her again.
Sharpe and his legal team have vehemently denied all allegations and have taken an unusually public and aggressive approach to defending against the claims.
Through his attorney Lanny J. Davis, Sharpe
“categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct—especially the gross lie of ‘rape'”.
His legal team has characterized the lawsuit as
“a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars”
that is
“filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations”.
In an unusual move, Sharpe’s attorney has identified the accuser by name in public statements, despite court documents referring to her as Jane Doe. Sharpe’s team has also released what they claim are text messages between Sharpe and the accuser that purportedly demonstrate the relationship was consensual.
One text message shared by Sharpe’s attorney allegedly showed the accuser once requested Sharpe to
“put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while you’re f*cking me”.
This appears to be part of a defense strategy to characterize any discussions of choking as part of consensual role-play rather than threats.
Sharpe’s team has also claimed that the woman secretly recorded a sexual encounter without his consent, which they say is being
“intentionally taken out of context and used as blackmail”.
This is not the first time Sharpe has been involved in a controversy related to his private life. In September 2024, Sharpe was at the center of a social media incident when a livestream was posted to his account that appeared to capture him having sex with a woman.
While the video did not show explicit imagery, a woman’s voice could be heard in the background. Sharpe initially claimed he had been hacked but later acknowledged the incident on his podcast “Nightcap” with co-host Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.
During that podcast, Sharpe expressed embarrassment:
“Obviously, I am embarrassed. Someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details – the audio – heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarrassed for a number of reasons.”
Sharpe claimed he did not know how to properly use Instagram Live and could not understand why people were trying to reach him via FaceTime during the incident. He stated that a marketing team member eventually contacted him and helped end the livestream.
Interestingly, this incident is referenced in the current lawsuit, as the plaintiff alleges that Sharpe’s Instagram Live incident during sex with another woman created tension in their relationship.
Despite the serious allegations, Shannon Sharpe continues to maintain his professional roles in sports media. According to the latest reports, Sharpe continues to appear on ESPN’s “First Take.”
In June 2024, ESPN signed Sharpe to a multiyear contract extension, expanding his role on “First Take,” the network’s morning debate show with Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim. At the time, ESPN’s head of event and studio production, David Roberts, praised Sharpe’s contributions to the show.
Also, recent reports indicate that Sharpe’s media company, Shay Shay Media, could potentially secure a $100 million deal as his current contract with The Volume approaches its conclusion. This significant business opportunity now faces potential complications due to the lawsuit and associated allegations.