Sharpe Offered Alleged Rape Victim $10M To Walk-Away

Shannon Sharpe attorney Lanny J. Davis has confirmed his client offered at least $10 million to settle rape accusations with the ex-girlfriend who is currently suing the Denver Broncos great in Nevada for $50 million. Speaking on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, the prestigious attorney said the plaintiff and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, rejected the offer, which was made before Davis took Sharpe on as a client.

On Tuesday, the attorney for a woman pseudonymously identified as “Jane Doe” released an audio recording allegedly capturing Pro Football Hall of Famer and sports media star Shannon Sharpe threatening to “choke the shit” out of her, escalating a contentious legal battle. 

The audio, sent to media outlets including Front Office Sports, follows a lawsuit filed on April 20, 2025, by attorney Tony Buzbee, accusing Sharpe of anally raping Doe twice after a tumultuous relationship sparked by an Instagram Live incident in 2023. 

Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny Davis, vehemently denies the allegations, calling the lawsuit a “blatant attempt to shake down” Sharpe and labeling the audio “edited” and misleading. The case, unfolding amid Sharpe’s rising media career, intersects with broader media narratives discussed in prior queries, such as Sarah Palin’s defamation loss, Bill Owens’s resignation, and radio industry upheavals.

On Sunday, April 20, 2025, Buzbee filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles on behalf of Jane Doe, alleging that Sharpe anally raped her twice following a deteriorating relationship. The suit claims the two met at a Los Angeles gym in 2023, initially forming a connection that soured when Sharpe appeared on Instagram Live, seemingly engaging in sexual activity with another woman, which Doe found distressing.