ESPN has severed ties with Shannon Sharpe shortly after he settled a rape lawsuit with his ex-girlfriend. Sharpe, a former NFL star Pro Football Hall of Famer, had been a prominent figure on ESPN's "First Take" show, which he joined in August 2023.

Tillman is suing Sharpe, Chad Ochocinco Johnson, and several media companies for falsely claiming she was married during a steamy moment at an Usher concert, which they said led to her divorce-despite the fact she wasn't married.