Shannon Sharpe has failed to respond to the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him earlier this year, with just days remaining until the case is due to be heard in court.
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio, a former attorney, said a response is due within 30 days after service in most jurisdictions. Florio noted that extensions are commonly granted among lawyers as a courtesy.
A hearing on three different motions to associate counsel is set for July 9, at 10:00 a.m. in a Clark County, Nevada, civil court.
In a press conference held two days after the lawsuit was filed, Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny Davis, said a countersuit would be filed. At this time, that suit has not come to fruition.
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Us Weekly has reached out to Davis’ firm for comment.
Sharpe, 57, was accused of committing assault, sexual assault, battery and sexual battery against an unidentified woman in a $50 million lawsuit filed on April 20.
According to Jane Doe, she and Sharpe had “a rocky consensual relationship” over two years, during which she alleges that Sharpe inflicted intentional emotional distress. She accused Sharpe of sometimes recording their sexual activity without her consent and then showing the footage to others.
Jane Doe also accused Sharpe of becoming increasingly controlling during the final months of their relationship, including once allegedly telling her, “I will f***ing kill you,” when he noticed she was trying to share her location with friends.
Sharpe allegedly confronted the woman after she started ignoring his calls, leading to an incident of nonconsensual, forcible sex in October 2024. The NFL Hall of Famer also allegedly raped Jane Doe in January of this year without wearing a condom.
Davis, Sharpe’s attorney, told Us Weekly in April that the lawsuit is “filled with lies, distortions and misrepresentations — and it will not succeed.” He accused the woman of attempting “a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.”
Sharpe has denied all of the lawsuit’s accusations, including “the gross lie of ‘rape.’”
After the lawsuit was filed, Sharpe announced a leave of absence from his duties on ESPN’s First Take.
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“At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties,” Sharpe posted via his Instagram Story on April 24. “I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason.”
He continued, “I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, friends, fans and colleagues.”
ESPN has not made any announcement about Sharpe’s future at the network. The NFL preseason schedule begins on July 31.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
