New Lawsuit Against Shannon Sharpe Could Derail Dream To Come Back To ESPN

February 13, 2026

Shannon Sharpe faces a new sexual assault lawsuit from former ESPN producer Michele Evans, threatening his hopes of returning to the network.

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Shannon Sharpe’s dream of returning to ESPN may be sacked – this time for good. The former NFL star faces a new lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Michele Evans, a former ESPN producer who worked with him in Denver.

Evans filed two separate lawsuits in New York this week. One targets defamation. The other falls under the New York City Gender-Motivated Violence Act.

Both stem from allegations dating back to 2010.

Evans met Sharpe in the early 2000s while covering his Denver Broncos team as a local television reporter for ESPN. She claims they dated for nearly a decade before things went wrong in September 2010.

According to Evans, she confronted Sharpe about cheating allegations. That’s when the situation turned violent.

“Shannon’s coercion escalated as he maneuvered me onto the bed and achieved non-consensual vaginal penetration, all the while proclaiming his intent to ‘Make it so no other man would want me,'” her complaint states.

Evans also alleges Sharpe “proceeded to forcefully subdue me, compelling me to my knees and subsequently engaging in non-consensual oral penetration.”

Evans emphasized her credibility in challenging her former colleague. She wants the public to know she’s not just another accuser.

“It’s important to the public record that ESPN and its talent understand that I wasn’t just a stranger filing a claim – I was a former ESPN employee with a long track record in the Industry,” Evans noted.

Sharpe’s attorney already fired back at Evans and her accusations in a previous statement from a lawsuit she filed against him in 2023. The legal team called her claims a “cash grab” designed to profit from his current legal troubles.

“It should be no surprise that when someone famous is in the news, all sorts of people crawl out of the woodwork to share their connection to that person in an attempt to profit from that alleged relationship,” the statement read.

The attorney continued: “Sadly, Ms. Evans became obsessed with Shannon and decided to manufacture a claim against him.”

The timing couldn’t be worse for Shannon Sharpe. He recently told Front Office Sports during Super Bowl weekend that he wants his job back at ESPN.

“I would love to go back if they were to call,” Sharpe said. “That is their call. But obviously, I’m more than willing, I’m more than capable.”

He added, “I still have a fan base. I still have a big following. If a reunion is in order, I’m amenable to it.”

This new lawsuit comes just months after Sharpe settled a $50 million sexual assault case with OnlyFans model Gabriella Zuniga. That settlement cost him his job at ESPN in July 2025.

Zuniga accused Sharpe of sexual assault and battery. The case was eventually settled out of court, but ESPN severed ties with him immediately after.

Sharpe’s legal troubles don’t stop there. In September 2024, he accidentally went live on Instagram while having sex. The audio went viral across social media platforms.

Initially, Sharpe claimed hackers were responsible for the embarrassing incident. He later admitted the mistake was his own.

“I’m disappointed in myself,” Sharpe said on his Nightcap podcast. “Obviously I’m embarrassed. Someone that is extremely, extremely private, and to have one of your most intimate details shared with the world, that’s not a good feeling.”

The Instagram incident happened while Sharpe was still employed at ESPN. It added to the mounting pressure that eventually led to his departure.

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