Nationwide — Shannon Sharpe is facing new claims after audio surfaced of him allegedly threatening to choke a woman. His legal team says the clip is being taken out of context and doesn’t reflect the truth.Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the woman accusing Sharpe of rape, released the audio, claiming it provides insight into the relationship just before the alleged assault, according to TMZ. Buzbee described Sharpe’s comments as a “big, stupid mistake,” but did not confirm when the recording was made.
In the audio, Sharpe and the woman talk about a possible trip to Los Angeles. The accuser, reportedly 19 years old when she met Sharpe, questions why the former NFL star, then in his 50s, would want to go out. The conversation shifts when Sharpe says, “I might choke you in public … big Black guy chokes small white woman.”
The woman says she doesn’t want that, calling it “not a good look.” Sharpe then accuses her of something, though it’s unclear what he means. The clip ends with him saying, “Well, what?”
Sharpe’s legal team says this was part of consensual role-playing in their relationship and not a real threat. They shared a text message from October 2023, where the woman allegedly told Sharpe to “put a dog collar around my neck and choke me.”
A representative for Sharpe emphasized that the released audio lacks context and a specific date.
The woman has filed a lawsuit claiming Sharpe raped her between late 2024 and early 2025. Sharpe denies the claims and plans to sue for defamation. His lawyer, Lanny J. Davis, released messages he says show the woman liked sexual role-play and changed her tone after Sharpe said he didn’t want to have a child with her.