Shannon Sharpe skips ESPN show to step out with VERY loyal blonde (2025)

Under-fire NFL legend Shannon Sharpe was seen leaving his home in Atlanta and heading to Green Bay on Wednesday as the drama surrounding his bombshell rape lawsuit continues to intensify.

Sharpe, 56, is being sued by one of his ex-girlfriends for $50million over claims he repeatedly raped herduring the relationship, allegations he vehemently denies after countering that she is merely trying to score a major financial settlement. The woman was 19 when they first met, according to the lawsuit, which says Sharpe is more than 30 years older than her.

After news of the lawsuit first broke on Monday, both the Super Bowl winner and the accuser's respective attorneys have brought shocking new evidence to light over the past 24 hours, including a text which shows hertelling him 'no means no'after an alleged rape in January.

Audio footage provided to the Daily Mail earlier in the day also captures him threatening to choke the woman who is now suing him, which his lawyer has claimed was 'in the heat of the moment' while insisting the violent threat was 'not intended.'

With his career hanging in the balance, a stressed-looking Sharpe was spotted leaving his $2million Atlanta mansion and heading off in a car with loyal assistant Shelly Davis by his side after skipping ESPN's First Take show Wednesday morning.

It is believed the sports analyst was heading to Green Bay, where he and fellow ex-player Chad Ochocinco Johnson are set to host a live edition of their 'Nightcap' podcast on the first day of the NFL Draft.

Davis has worked as Sharpe'sassistant for the last two decades, with the latter previously opening up on the crucial impact she has behind the scenes.

In a TikTok clip from his last day on Fox Sports show 'Undisputed' back in 2023, Shannon said:'Shelly Davis, who has been my assistant... Shelly Davis, I am not here without you.

'Every email I have received over the last 20 years, you have answered it because I don't have email. You make this operation go. Club Shay Shay, 84 84 Inc., you make it all go.'

With the NFL Draft set to begin, it appears to be business as usual for Sharpe despite the potentially career-ending allegations he is currently facing.

His accuserclaims she was abused by him over the course of their near one-year relationship, which began when she was 20 and he was 53 back in 2023.

The first alleged rape is said to have taken place in October of last year, with the lawsuit claiming he forced himself on her as she 'was crying and sobbing.' Sharpe is accused of raping her again in January after arriving at her home with promises of Christmas and birthday gifts.

In an alleged text exchange between the two parties in January - which was provided to the Daily Mail on Tuesday by Shannon's attorney Lanny J. Davis, who claims they show 'a pattern of sexual role-playing' initiated by the accuser - the woman in question confronts him for forcing himself upon her without consent.

According to files released by the defense team, her bombshell message on January 2, 2025, said: 'I cried when u left because I begged you to put a condom on and not put it in my a** and u didn't listen. I don't care what our history is, no means no shannon.'

'Idk [I don't know] how to process this,' she added.

The evening prior, the accuser - who is believed to be in her 20s - allegedly text Sharpe demanding he made a payment to her, which she appeared to suggest had previously been promised.

'You’ve got 5 mins to ft [FaceTime] me back with the money or there’s no deal and ur never touching this young white p**** again. i’m not playing with u shannon.'

The files claim she then sent a graphic photo before saying: 'or this a**hole. i would get to calling if i were you…3 mins left'.

After threatening that his time was running out, she is then quoted as saying: 'times up, no deal. goodbye.'

But Sharpe is said to have text back: 'I'm punishing that a**hole 2morrow. Haven't f**ed you up the a** in months'.

'Respond or no deal,' he added. Before his ex-girlfriend allegedly replied: 'no.'

Over three hours later she then text him: 'just admit it... ur addicted to me,' before telling Sharpe she was left in tears after he allegedly raped her.

He replied to that series of messages: 'Can I call you later?'

A phone call appeared to take place between the pair that evening. Five days later, Sharpe then messaged her saying: 'You're p***ing me off'.

'Really what? we're done shannon,' she replied.

'After you got the money we're done? WOW,' the ESPN First Take co-host fumed.

The accuser then allegedly told him: 'no. u know why we're done... and it has nothing to do with the money shannon.'

The Daily Mail reached out tothe plaintiff's attorney, Tony Buzbee, for comment.

'I’m not sure why Sharpe’s attorney released those,' Buzbee responded. 'Makes me wonder whose side is he on? I think those two texts provide a good understanding of what occurred.'

Earlier on Tuesday, Sharpe could be heard threatening to choke the girlfriend who is now suing him in newly-released audio provided to the Daily Mail by Buzbee.

'… I'm gonna f***ing choke the s*** out of you when I see you,' he is heard telling the woman.

Sharpe broke his silence on the matter by claiming on Tuesday that Buzbee has a history of targeting black men for his own financial gain.

'Tony Buzbee targets black men and I believe he's going to release a 30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make me look guilty and play into every stereotype you can possibly imagine,' he said in a recorded statement posted on Instagram.

A well-known Houston lawyer, Buzbee previously represented the women who settled sexual misconduct lawsuits against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson, now a member of the Cleveland Browns.Buzbee is also currently representing Andrew Tate's ex-girlfriend, who accused the controversial influencer of physical abuse, and the woman whodropped her sexual assault accusations against Jay-Z.

The rapper has since filed his own lawsuit accusing Buzbee of extortion. Sharpeis also accusing him of a 'shakedown' as he fights the allegations against him.

Buzbee did allege that Sharpe offered his client a 'hefty sum' to settlethe case in February, only for the plaintiff to decline the payoff.

'A little history,' Buzbee wrote in his statement. 'Back in early February, our office contacted Mr. Sharpe on behalf of Jane Doe and broached the subject of a meeting.

'Multiple conversations took place,' the statement continued. 'Ultimately a mediation occurred. Mr. Sharpe was represented by different lawyers in that mediation. That mediation process went on for more than six weeks, ultimately leading to Mr. Sharpe making an incredibly significant offer to settle. Ultimately Jane Doe refused the hefty sum offered by Sharpe and instead filed this case last night.'

Davis has confirmed Sharpe's settlement offer, which he says was at least $10million.