Stephen A. Smith isn’t holding back regarding the serious allegations against his ESPN co-host, Shannon Sharpe. With Sharpe facing accusations of rape and sexual assault, Smith addressed the situation directly on his YouTube show, making it clear he’s deeply concerned- both personally and professionally.
“I recruited Shannon, but I’m not the boss,” Smith said via the New York Post on Tuesday. “There are layers to this and there are certain layers that even I am not on.” Smith didn’t dodge the tough part either. He confirmed that ESPN’s top brass, including Disney co-chairman Jimmy Pitaro, are fully aware of the situation and are already digging into the details.
“We are looking into this very, very closely,” Pitaro reportedly told Smith, who added that he had permission to name him publicly.
Smith Clarifies He Has No Role In ESPN’s Final Decision
While Smith may be one of ESPN’s most visible personalities, he made it clear that he won’t decide Sharpe’s future at the network. “In the end, all of us have someone to answer to,” Smith said. “No matter how maverick we try to be… there are bosses.”
Sharpe, who joined First Take in August 2023 and signed a multi-year deal with ESPN last June, now finds himself at the center of a legal firestorm. A woman identified as “Jane Doe” alleges that the Hall of Famer raped her multiple times during what she described as a “rocky consensual relationship.” Her attorney, Tony Buzbee, previously represented the women who accused NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct.
Sharpe fired back Tuesday afternoon in a video posted to X, denying the claims and accusing Buzbee of targeting Black men. “Tony Buzbee targets Black men,” Sharpe said. “That video should actually be 10 minutes or so. Hey Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out.”
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— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) April 22, 2025
Sharpe claimed the incident took place during a consensual encounter initiated by the accuser, who he identified as an OnlyFans creator named Gabby. He also alleged a coordinated extortion attempt and said he plans to sue for defamation.
As of now, ESPN appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach. Smith emphasized that no decision has been made yet and that the network is committed to gathering all facts before determining Sharpe’s fate.
Also Read: Stephen A. Smith Drops “Uncomfortable” Truth Bomb On Shannon Sharpe Lawsuit
