Shannon Sharpe’s ESPN exit just took another unexpected turn. Weeks after quietly settling a $50 million lawsuit filed by a former romantic partner – allegations he denied – the Hall of Famer finally addressed his sudden departure from the network. But true to form, Sharpe kept it brief. During a recent Nightcap live stream with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Joe Johnson, the three-time Super Bowl champ shut down questions about ESPN, insisting he didn’t want to ‘make this about me’ while his brother, Sterling, prepares for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction this weekend.
The timing raises eyebrows. Sharpe hadn’t appeared on First Take since April, when he announced he’d “step aside temporarily” as the legal battle played out. Now, with the case settled, ESPN confirmed his exit but stayed tight-lipped on details.
For Sharpe, the focus seems to be shifting forward. His Nightcap show with Ochocinco keeps gaining traction, and his unfiltered takes still dominate sports debates—just no longer from ESPN’s desk. When pressed about ESPN on stream, Sharpe kept it characteristically blunt: “I’m not gonna comment on that right now… My brother’s going into the Hall of Fame. I don’t want this to be about me.”
Shannon Sharpe says he wishes the news of ESPN firing him had waited until after his brother was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 31, 2025
It’s a dramatic shift for the man who became appointment television through his fiery First Take debates with Stephen A. Smith. Those viral back-and-forths made Broncos‘ star a household name beyond his legendary NFL career. But true to form, he’s not dwelling on the past. For now, at least, the only emotions he’s concerned with are the proud ones he’ll feel watching his brother’s Hall of Fame moment this weekend – a full-circle moment for the Sharpe family that overshadows any career turbulence.
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