Disturbing Audio of Shannon Sharpe Leaks Amid Rape Lawsuit: “Big Black Guy Chokes Small White Woman”

The legal battle surrounding Hall of Fame NFL tight end and ESPN personality Shannon Sharpe took a devastating new turn on Wednesday, as the lawyer for Sharpe’s accuser, Tony Buzbee, released a second, even more disturbing audio clip to TMZ, allegedly featuring Sharpe making violent threats toward the woman now suing him for rape.

Sharpe, 56, has categorically denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown” in a videotaped statement released Tuesday. However, the release of this new audio has injected a fresh wave of horror and controversy into an already scandalous case.

The New Audio: A Chilling Exchange Between Sharpe and His Accuser

In the newly published recording, Sharpe and the unnamed accuser engage in a tense conversation about his trip to Los Angeles. When the woman expresses reluctance about going out on the town, her reason is blood-chilling.

“Well, I’m not really interested in getting choked, so I guess we’re going,” she says.

Sharpe responds without hesitation:

“I might choke you in public… Big Black guy chokes small white woman.”

To which the woman quickly retorts:

“Not a good look, Shannon.”

But Sharpe, with alarming coldness, fires back:

“It’s not a good look the s–t you did to me.”

The raw, aggressive nature of the exchange paints a disturbing picture of their dynamic shortly before the alleged assaults took place.

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Attorney Tony Buzbee claims this clip “provides a fair picture of the relationship shortly before the alleged assault,” although he carefully did not specify the date of the recording.

Sharpe’s Legal Team Fires Back: “Misleading and Out of Context”

In response to the explosive leak, Sharpe’s representatives moved swiftly to frame the conversation as part of a broader, allegedly consensual relationship dynamic.

Sharpe’s camp claims that conversations of this nature were “common” between Sharpe and the woman. They argue that the clip is a “tiny excerpt” without precise date or context and does not accurately portray the nature of the relationship.

To bolster their case, Sharpe’s legal team pointed to text messages they say were sent by the woman to Sharpe in October 2023. In one particularly explicit message, the woman allegedly asked Sharpe:

“Put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while ur f—–g me.”

Sharpe’s camp insists this shows the interactions were mutual, sexual in nature, and not criminal.

Attorney Tony Buzbee: Sharpe Made a “Big, Stupid Mistake”

Buzbee, famous for his aggressive litigation style and previous high-profile cases including representing women against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson, had no patience for Sharpe’s denials.

In a fiery statement to TMZ, Buzbee declared:

“Sharpe made a big, stupid mistake by retaliating against my client. The new audio captures the reality of their interactions and will be crucial in court.”

He emphasized that the apparent threats and aggressive language reveal a much darker relationship than what Sharpe’s team is trying to portray publicly.

Shannon Sharpe Remains On Air at ESPN For Now

Despite the swirling scandal and the increasingly damning evidence being paraded through the media, Shannon Sharpe has not been suspended or removed from his role on ESPN’s popular debate show First Take, where he regularly spars with co-host Stephen A. Smith.

An ESPN spokesperson refused to comment when approached by multiple outlets including TMZ and the New York Post, suggesting the network is taking a wait-and-see approach as the legal process unfolds.

For now, Sharpe remains on air, but the walls around him are visibly closing in.

The Bigger Picture: Celebrity, Power, and Accountability

The Shannon Sharpe scandal is already shaping up to be one of the most incendiary celebrity legal battles of 2025, drawing inevitable comparisons to past scandals involving powerful men and vulnerable women. With brutal new evidence leaking seemingly by the day, questions about celebrity accountability and media complicity are once again at the forefront.

In an era still reeling from #MeToo, Sharpe’s case could become a defining moment for how sports media giants like ESPN navigate allegations of sexual misconduct against their biggest stars.

As more evidence continues to emerge, one thing is obvious: this saga is far from over and the world is watching.