ESPN Fires Shannon Sharpe, X Packs Unc Up

Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty

Shannon Sharpe and ESPN have parted ways. That’s the diplomatic way of saying the Hall of Fame NFL tight end turned sports analyst has been fired.

On Wednesday (July 30),  the Athletic first confirmed that Sharpe would not be returning to the network. This news comes a couple of weeks after Sharpe settled a lawsuit brought forth by an ex-girlfriend who claimed she was sexually assaulted by the Club Shay Shay host.

The woman, an OnlyFans model (no shaming) initially sought $50 million but the financial details of the settlement were not made public (it’s rumored to be $23 million). “Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” said the accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, in a statement announcing the settlement.

When news of the lawsuit first broke in April 2025, Sharpe announced he was stepping back from ESPN, where he appeared First Take, but would return before the start of the new NFL season. However, Unc won’t be returned, and ESPN has yet to comment.

Needless to say, X has been going in on Sharpe since news of his unceremonious firing came to light. While he surely won’t be hurting for money considering the success of Club Shay Shay, among his other ventures, the consensus is that Sharpe needlessly fumbled the bag by getting involved with a white woman he was decades older than. There’s plenty of nuance to unpack there, but we’re here for the petty reactions that we have assembled in the gallery. Add Gilbert Arenas to the mix, and it’s ugly out here.

And seriously, Mo’nique tried to tell him.

Damn, Unc. Damn.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.