Shannon Sharpe hasn’t spoken publicly about the sexual assault lawsuit against him yet, but now, his legal team is handling business in what many online are calling the messiest way. The former Denver Bronco was hit with a $50 million civil suit from a woman claiming he physically abused her and even threatened to kill her.
In response to the claims, Sharpe’s team is arguing the Jane Doe accuser, who USA Today reports is represented by Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee and attorney Micah Nash, had a consensual relationship with Sharpe. And they just dropped the alleged x-rated texts to help prove it. According to Sharpe’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, the messages “clearly indicate the nature of their relationship was consensual and sexual in nature — and, in many cases, initiated by her with specific and graphic requests.”
The graphic texts shared in a statement by Davis claim the accuser, who they identified as Gabriella Zuniga, wrote to Sharpe saying, “I want you to put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it,” according to the 44-page document released. The texts continued, “I know u miss this big juicy ass…$25k for each cheek.”
If that wasn’t bad enough, Sharpe’s lawyers claim Zuniga told him to “Tie me up like this & f**k me” while sharing a photo of a woman tied in a sexually explicit position, according to the documents. The relationship between the ESPN commentator and his ex-girlfriend lasted from 2023 to 2025, according to TMZ, but allegedly turned violent towards the end of 2024.
Some of the most shocking parts of the texts came when Zuniga allegedly told Sharpe to “put a big black baby in me.” She continued saying she “only want[s] a baby if it’s from your… I think i’d be a good mom.” With the leaked texts hitting the web, it should be no shocker that users online had loads to say.
“‘Put a baby in me so I can run your pockets for the next 18 years.’ That’s basically what ol’ girl told Shannon Sharpe in those texts,” @LaDeric wrote on X.
Another user, @The_Acumen, argued the messages didn’t prove “Shannon not-so Sharpe’s” case. Instead, she said he “exposed himself to be a loser, weirdo freak that could also be a SA’er... [the texts] do show he’s into race play and a possible SA’er.” Zuniga’s lawyers shared a similar sentiment saying, “A woman can say ‘yes’ to consensual sexual relations with a man ninety-nine times, but when she says ‘no’ even once, that ‘no’ means no,” according to the first page of the complaint obtained by the New York Post.
But while some seem to be on the accuser’s side, others like @baskgod have a different perspective. “That lady need to be behind bars but Shannon sharpe is a clown for continuing to fuck with her after them text messages,” he wrote on X.
The civil lawsuit was filed in Nevada state court. Sharpe has denied all allegations made against him by Zuniga. The complaint clarified she is not the same woman Sharpe “accidentally” went on Instagram live with while having sex back in September.