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Shannon Sharpe reacts to departure from ESPN: 'I'm at peace with that'

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz07/31/25NickSchultz_7
Shannon Sharpe
© Dennis Knight/Savannahnow.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hours after news broke of his pending departure from ESPN, Shannon Sharpe spoke out. He reacted to the move on his Nightcap podcast Wednesday night.

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand first reported ESPN’s plans to cut ties with Sharpe. The decision comes after the Pro Football Hall of Famer agreed to settle a lawsuit against him which alleged he raped a woman. Sharpe has not been on ESPN’s airwaves since late April in light of the suit, and the plan was for him to return in time for the 2025 NFL season.

Sharpe confirmed the decision on his podcast, thanking his fans and followers for their support. However, he asked the network to avoid letting the news get out until Monday after his brother, Sterling, goes into the Hall of Fame this weekend.

“Obviously, I’m sure everybody’s heard the news by now that I will not be returning to ESPN,” Shannon Sharpe said. “I found out this information a little earlier in the week. And really, the only thing that I really asked is, like, ‘Guys, could we wait until Monday? My brother’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I really want it to be about him, and I wanted to be about my family.’ I said, this coming out will overshadow everything that he’s worked his entire life for.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way. … I really enjoyed my time at ESPN. It gave me an opportunity to bring my audience that saw me really just grow. They saw me ‘Lakers and 5’ and they saw me say all these analogies that my grandparents gave me, and I was able to bring that to ESPN. So I’m very, very grateful for that. But I just wished, of all things, like I said, they did what they felt they needed to do. And I’m at peace with that. But I just wish, guys, I just wish this thing could have waited until Monday because I hate the fact that I’m overshadowing my brother. The first two brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this is what the headline is going to be for the next couple of days.”

Sharpe joined ESPN in 2023, following a seven-year run at FOX Sports as co-host of Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless. That ended when Sharpe made the move to ESPN to make weekly appearances on First Take with Stephen A. Smith. ESPN had given him a new multi-year contract in 2024 to expand his role on the show.

As he gets ready to leave the network, Shannon Sharpe said he apologized to his brother “profusely” for the timing of the news. He also offered a final message for his fans before starting his show.

“So bro, again, I know you told me I don’t have to apologize, but I’m going to do it one final time tonight and I won’t apologize again,” Sharpe said. “I’m sorry that I upstaged you in this manner. That was never my intent. You’ve been my hero. You’ve been my role model from as long as I can remember, and I apologize.

“And I thank all my fans for supporting me when I was at ESPN and every place that I’ve been – be it Club Shay Shay, Nightcap, Undisputed, ESPN. Thank you guys for your support.”