Shannon Sharpe‘s attorney just revealed the Pro Football Hall of Famer made an offer to his rape accuser of “at least” $10 million to close out the case before it went public.
Lanny J. Davis — who’s representing Sharpe in the ESPN personality’s civil sexual assault case against Jane Doe — said in a meeting with reporters Tuesday the proposal was doled out during mediations with the plaintiff “within the last month or so.”
Davis said Doe initially seemed to be considering it … before she “suddenly without warning, walked away from our offer.”
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Davis later added it was “a big surprise to us when suddenly this case was filed without any advanced warning.”
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Doe, through her famed lawyer Tony Buzbee, filed the lawsuit on Sunday in Nevada. She claimed in it that she met the ex-Denver Broncos player at a gym in Los Angeles in 2023, when she was just 20 years old. She said she began a consensual relationship with him — though she described it as a controlling and verbally abusive one.
According to her suit, in late 2024, after she tried to break things off with him … he raped her. She said he again sexually assaulted her in January 2025.
Buzbee released audio Tuesday of an alleged conversation between Sharpe and Doe that he says took place “near the end of their relationship.” In the clip, Sharpe can be heard threatening “to f***ing choke the s*** out of” Doe.
Davis acknowledged the audio in his meeting with media members Tuesday … and stated his client “spoke in the heat of the moment and did not literally mean the words.”
As for the rest of Doe’s allegations, Davis denied all of them repeatedly — and said they will be filing a counterclaim against Doe shortly.
Davis also said he believes there will be a video of Sharpe and his accuser released sometime in the near future. He cautioned people to withhold judgment on it whenever it drops — insisting it’s heavily edited.
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For Sharpe’s part, he released a video statement Tuesday calling Doe’s allegations “a shakedown.”
“I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about,” he said. “And I’m going to be out there telling you whatever I need to say, just like I always do. I love all you guys.”
