Shannon Sharpe’s legal team has responded to a $50 million civil lawsuit accusing the former NFL star of sexual assault by releasing hundreds of explicit text messages. The messages allegedly show a pattern of sexual role-playing between Sharpe and his accuser, who has been identified by Sharpe’s lawyer but remains unnamed in public reports.
Text Messages Detail Sexual Role-Playing
The lawsuit, filed in Nevada state court on Sunday, accuses Sharpe of sexual assault, battery, emotional distress, and rape during a nearly two-year relationship. Sharpe has denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown.”
On Tuesday, Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, released a trove of text messages between Sharpe and the plaintiff. According to Davis, the texts illustrate a consensual role-playing dynamic that included the woman requesting sexual acts such as choking and bondage. In one message from June 14, 2024, the accuser allegedly wrote, “i wanna be abused daddy,” while in another from July 6, 2024, she reportedly texted, “i want u to tie me up like this and abuse me daddy,” accompanied by explicit imagery.
Other messages show the plaintiff asking Sharpe to engage in BDSM activities, with one text from January 31, 2024, reading, “I want like some hardcore bdsm action tho.” The release of these messages is part of Sharpe’s strategy to discredit the allegations and paint the relationship as one involving consensual sexual fantasies.
Confrontation Over Alleged Assault
Amid the sexually explicit texts, there is one from January 2, 2025—the same day the plaintiff claims she was raped by Sharpe. In the message, the woman allegedly confronted Sharpe about the incident, saying, “but I cried when u left because I begged you to put a condom on and not put it in my ass and u didn’t listen,” followed by “I don’t care what our history is, no means no shannon.” Sharpe’s response, according to the text, was, “Can I call you later?”
Sharpe’s Offer to Settle the Lawsuit
Davis also revealed that Sharpe had offered the woman “at least $10 million” to settle the lawsuit before it was filed. However, the accuser reportedly declined the offer and chose to pursue the case, which Davis claimed was a bid to exploit Sharpe’s recent “very lucrative” contract for his podcast, Club Shay Shay.
Additionally, Davis described the plaintiff as an OnlyFans model who charges individuals for role-playing and virtual fantasies, arguing that these facts contradict her accusations. He suggested that Sharpe’s accuser had a history of participating in consensual sexual activities for money.
Legal Battle and Public Reaction
Sharpe has vigorously denied the accusations and plans to defend himself in court. The case has drawn widespread media attention, with many social media users weighing in on the controversy. Despite the public scrutiny, Sharpe’s legal team maintains that the lawsuit is baseless and a calculated attempt to extort him.
