Black women are turning their backs on former ESPN host Shannon Sharpe after a 22-year-old woman sued him for sexual assault.
The woman filed a $50 million lawsuit in Nevada, claiming he raped her multiple times, physically abused her, and threatened to kill her.
In a shocking text message to Shannon in January, the woman wrote “no means no Shannon”. “But I cried when u left because I begged you to put a condom on and not put it in my a*s, and u didn’t listen,” the woman said.
“I don’t care what our history is, no means no shannon,” she texted.
Shannon, 56, responded “Can I call you later?”
Former NBA player Jalen Rose’s daughter Mariah Rose called Shannon “a weirdo.”
The 24-year-old host of the “Hoops 4 Hotties” podcast tweeted on X: “Whether or not Shannon Sharpe is found guilty or not in the court of law, he’s a weirdo. These could all be a cash shakedown or whatever, I don’t care. That man is in his 50s, messing with a 19-year-old. Shannon Sharpe has daughters that are in their 30s…”
SMH Shannon Sharpe ????? pic.twitter.com/j8NeuJPs8j
— mariah rose (@mariahcrose) April 23, 2025
In her lawsuit, Jane Doe claimed she met Shannon when she was 19 and he was 54.
After the lawsuit came to light on Monday, April 21, Shannon vigorously denied the allegations. He called the lawsuit “a shakedown” and he vowed to “be open, transparent and defend myself because this isn’t right.”
However, Shannon’s attorney said the woman turned down a $10 million offer to settle the lawsuit.
Shannon appeared on ESPN’s “First Take” on Monday and Tuesday with co-host Stephen A. Smith, but the former Denver Broncos tight end was absent on Wednesday’s episode.
Stephen hinted that ESPN bosses plan to fire Shannon. The NFL Hall of Famer was previously let go from CBS Sports after a woman made similar allegations against him.
Black women everywhere rejected Shannon’s denials. Women on TikTok urged others not to support Shannon. They noted that Shannon talked Black while giving his money to white women.
“Oh no Shannon Shay Shay Joe-Netta Sharp! Don’t come over here bothering the Black people now! You was over there playing in snow like you couldn’t get pneumonia,” one TikToker said.
TikTok user @themuthaof3 said, “Sistas, this not our fight. Absolutely not.” She wished him luck in his future endeavors.
@themuthaof3 That 50 million dollar lawsuit a beast #fyp #fyp? #fyp??viral #foryoupage #fypage #shannonsharp ? original sound – Themuthaof3
Another TikTok creator said: “You cannot convince me that Shannon Sharpe doesn’t let those non-Black women call him the N-word for fun. Because what do you mean, that you, Shannon Sharpe allowed a non-Black woman to say, ‘I want you to put a big Black baby in me?’ And you continued to engage with her?! The conversation, the relationship should have ended right there because, what do you mean?”
Another woman captioned a video: “Pov: Blk Women minding our business regarding Shannon Sharpe Snow bunny case” with a laughing emoji.
Others on Black Twitter noted how comedienne Mo’Nique tried to warn Shannon about messing around with younger women on his “Club Shay Shay” podcast back in October 2023.
Mo’Nique told Shannon: “You betta take yo old ass and get somebody to love you! … He need him an old fat gal who can bake good cakes, make some smothered turkey wings, who gone rub his feet at the night time and have a sip of his cognac to make him feel better about himself when he come home at night.”
Mo’ told him that he doesn’t need “no 26-year-old girl, you don’t need no 36-year-old girl.”
But Shannon responded enthusiastically, “I do!”
Monique told ya unc pic.twitter.com/3lyGAeaxfP
— OG Triple OG (@byron_757) April 22, 2025
