Shannon Sharpe’s dream return to ESPN may be on the line – this time for good. The former NFL star faces a new lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend Michele Evans. Michelle Evans is a former ESPN producer who worked with him in Denver.
Evans filed two separate lawsuits in New York this week. One is for defamation. The other falls under the New York City Gender Motivated Violence Act.
Both stem from 2010 charges.
Evans met Sharp in the early 2000s when he was covering his Denver Broncos as a local TV reporter for ESPN. She claims they dated for nearly a decade until things went wrong in September 2010.
According to Evans, she confronted Sharp about the cheating accusations. That’s when the situation turned violent.
“Shannon’s coercion escalated when he pushed me onto the bed and penetrated my vagina without consent while declaring that his intention was to ‘make other men want me,'” her complaint states.
Evans also claimed that Sharp “continued to physically subdue me, forcing me to my knees, and then performed non-consensual oral sex.”
Evans emphasized her credibility in challenging former colleagues. She wants the public to know she’s not just another accuser.
“It is important for the public record that ESPN and its talent understand that I am not just a stranger making a claim, I am a former ESPN employee with a long history in the industry,” Evans noted.
Sharp’s attorneys have pushed back against Evans’ allegations in a statement in her 2023 lawsuit against Sharp. The legal team called her claims a “money grab” designed to profit from his current legal troubles.
“When a famous person is in the news, it’s no surprise that all kinds of people will jump in to share their connections to that person in an attempt to cash in on the alleged relationship,” the statement read.
The lawyer continued: “Sadly, Ms Evans became obsessed with Shannon and decided to pursue 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 hopes to return to work at ESPN.
“If they call, I’d love to go back,” Sharp said. “That’s their decision. But obviously, I’m very willing and I’m very capable.”
He added, “I still have a fan base. I still have a huge following. If a reunion is in order, I’m open to it.”
The new lawsuit comes just months after Sharp settled a $50 million sexual assault case with OnlyFans model Gabriella Zuniga. The settlement resulted in him losing his job at ESPN in July 2025.
Zuniga accused Sharp of sexual assault and battery. The case was eventually settled out of court, but ESPN immediately cut ties with him.
Sharp’s legal troubles don’t stop there. In September 2024, he accidentally broadcast live on Instagram while having sex. The news went viral on social media platforms.
Initially, Sharp claimed that hackers were responsible for the embarrassing incident. He later admitted the mistake was his own making.
“I’m disappointed in myself,” Sharp said on his Nightcap podcast. “Obviously I’m embarrassed. As a very, very private person, it’s not a good feeling to have to share one of your most intimate details with the world.”
Sharp was still working at ESPN when the Instagram incident occurred. This added to increasing pressure, which eventually led to his departure.
