Shannon Sharpe’s $10M Desperate Step to Escape Lawsuit Revealed as Lawyer Makes Strong Statement Amid Assault Allegations

“You can tell the truth, but sometimes you can’t always be in your face with it. I found a way to tell the truth and put it in a nice, neat package for people to receive it. A lot of times, you have to put it in a nice, neat box with a bow tie, and when they open it, it’s the truth. I think people respect that.” These words, once said by NFL legend and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, seem to hold new meaning after coming face to face with a $50 M lawsuit. Who would have known that Sharpe would someday have to take his own advice and present his truth in a “neat box with a bow tie” to make his case?

According to reports of the lawsuit filed by an unnamed Jane Doe, back in late 2024, and then again in January 2025, Shannon Sharpe sexually assaulted Doe, and now he faces the allegations. According to Jane Doe, she met Sharpe in 2023 in LA, and the two got into a consensual relationship. Her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, also released an audio of a conversation between Sharpe and Doe where Sharpe seems to be threatening her. Doe has termed her relationship with Sharpe to be verbally abusive and controlling.

Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny Davis, had sent out an email announcing a press conference to “answer questions about blackmail against Shannon Sharpe from Nevada OnlyFans woman.” The press conference was called for 2:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday. Davis addressed the audio released by Doe’s attorney, saying “spoke in the heat of the moment and did not literally mean the words.” The attorney further disclosed that an “at least” $10 M offer had been given to Doe to close the case. According to Davis, Doe had considered the offer, but instead she “suddenly, without warning, walked away from our offer.”

Davies has denied all allegations against Sharpe and has also indicated a counterclaim against Doe to be filed shortly. According to Davis, there may be a video released shortly featuring Sharpe and Doe, and has insisted that the video is heavily edited. While the ex-Denver Broncos star is still reeling from the shockwaves of these allegations, on Tuesday he took to Instagram to share a post defending himself on the matter.

Shannon Sharpe addresses the lawsuit

On Tuesday, Shannon Sharpe broke the silence on his $50M sexual assault lawsuit he terms as a “shakedown”. He shared a post on Instagram on 22nd April and addressed the lawsuit, “To my family, friends, supporters, and colleagues, I want to speak to you directly and from the heart. This is a shakedown. I’m going to be open, transparent, and defend myself because this isn’t right.” He further claims in the video that the whole thing is crafted by Jane Doe’s lawyer, Buzbee, as he “targets black men.”

“This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee, who has targeted Jay-Z. 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 played into every stereotype you could possibly imagine.” According to Sharpe, the actual video is 10 minutes long, and Tony Buzee is attempting to manipulate the media. In the post, he further addressed Buzbee directly and asked him to release the full video.

Sharpe has been a regular face in TV and social media. On Monday, he had posted Davis’ statement on X. The case is still in early stages at the moment and more information will possibly be made publicly available as it progresses.