Tag: sexual assault

Mar 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Shannon Sharpe during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Shannon Sharpe settles lawsuit over alleged sexual assault

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Shannon Sharpe reached a settlement with a woman who accused him of sexual assault during their relationship, attorney Tony Buzbee announced Friday.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer had stepped away from his television work to address the lawsuit.

Buzbee represented the woman, who used the pseudonym Jane Doe while seeking $50 million in a lawsuit filed in Nevada in April. She accused Sharpe of sexually assaulting her, battering her and using his fame to control and subjugate her while they were in a relationship.

“On April 20, 2025, The Buzbee Law Firm filed a complaint in Nevada making several allegations against Shannon Sharpe on behalf of our client. Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” Buzbee wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Friday. “After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution. All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.”

Sharpe’s lawyer had previously said they had offered at least $10 million to settle the claim. They have characterized the accusations as “false and disruptive.”

Details of Friday’s settlement were not released, and Sharpe’s representatives have not commented.

Sharpe began appearing on ESPN’s “First Take” in September 2023. He signed a multi-year contract extension with the company last summer. When he stepped away in April, he called the move temporary and has made it clear he intends to return to a role in national sports media. But it’s unclear whether ESPN will have him back.

A different allegation about Sharpe emerged in April, when Front Office Sports reported he was accused of choking a female production assistant while working for Fox as the co-host of FS1’s “Undisputed.”

Per the report, Sharpe was not sued in the case, and he and Fox settled with the woman for several hundred thousand dollars. Sharpe’s camp denied that the choking incident happened.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills Maxwell Hairston jogs to another area of the field during voluntary workout at their practice facility on May 27, 2025.

Bills No. 1 pick Maxwell Hairston named in lawsuit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston is being sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her in 2021 when he was an early enrollee at Kentucky.

Hairston, 21, was the Bills’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft in April, taken No. 30 overall.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The unidentified woman also accuses Hairston of intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages.

According to the filing, which was reviewed by USA Today, the woman alleges that Hairston unexpectedly showed up at her dorm room on March 24, 2021. He told her he wanted to “hang out” with her, and the woman said she was tired and didn’t want a visitor. She said she was going to bed and walked away from the door.

Per USA Today, the woman claims in the lawsuit that Hairston followed her into her bedroom, then forced himself upon her and sexually assaulted her after she rejected his requests to have sex.

“Our client showed remarkable strength in coming forward, and we are proud to stand with her in pursuit of accountability and justice,” said Peter Flowers, one of the women’s attorneys, according to the report. “No one — regardless of their status or athletic success — is above the law.”

Before the draft, the Bills were aware of the allegations made by the woman, who had filed a report with the university.

“He’s an impeccable kid. We did a lot of research,” general manager Brandon Beane said the day after the draft. “I think all teams were aware of the Title IX thing. That was fully investigated by the school. He even volunteered to do a polygraph and had notes. It was one of those where there was zero information saying that this actually happened, to what the accusation was.

“You can’t just take someone’s account and think that’s the truth. But yes, we fully investigated that. If there was anything to that, he wouldn’t have been invited to the combine. … Every person you talk to at Kentucky, teammates, staff there, plus what we’ve done, I would say this is a heck of a young man, every person you ask. That’s unfortunate when things like that are attached to someone’s name; in this case, it doesn’t seem to be anything there.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 18, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) warms up before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Report: Sexual assault civil case dropped against BYU QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The woman who made sexual assault allegations against BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff dropped her civil lawsuit.

Judge Coral Sanchez of the Third Judicial District Court in Salt Lake County, Utah, approved a joint motion for a dismissal of the case on Monday.

The suit filed in May by a woman identified as Jane Doe A.G. had alleged that Retzlaff bit, raped and strangled her at his Provo apartment in November 2023.

A lawyer for Retzlaff addressed the allegations Friday, calling them “ridiculous” and “bizarre” in a court filing that described the incident as consensual sex.

Retzlaff’s admission of consensual sex still violates BYU’s honor code, which prohibits premarital sex.

The Salt Lake Tribune and ESPN reported Sunday that Retzlaff is facing a seven-game suspension by the school. According to ESPN, he has already begun to inform teammates and coaches about his intention to transfer.

Retzlaff, a California native who began his career playing for Riverside (Calif.) City College, transferred to BYU prior to the 2023 season. After starting the final four games in 2023, he won a training-camp battle to become the Cougars’ No. 1 quarterback in 2024. He led them to an 11-2 record and an Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.

He finished the campaign with 2,947 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound redshirt senior had been expected to reprise his starting role this fall.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Reports: BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff sued for sexual assault

Posted on | by Field Level Media

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Salt Lake (Utah) County, according to multiple media reports.

The lawsuit alleges that Retzlaff committed the assault in November 2023 at his home in Provo, Utah. The woman filing the lawsuit — listed as Jane Doe A.G. — has sued Retzlaff for alleged battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the lawsuit, one of the reasons for the delay between the alleged incident and the filing of the civil charges is that Provo police, when the alleged victim linked Retzlaff’s name to the assault, suggested that she stay quiet because “sexual assault victims never get justice.”

In a statement, Retzlaff attorney Mark Baute declared his client to be “factually innocent.”

“I have met him, and he is a nice young man,” said Baute, who successfully defended former NBA star Derrick Rose on federal sexual assault charges in 2016. “He is also factually innocent, and we look forward to proving that innocence. Jake’s focus this year will be on football. We don’t try cases in the media. We will respect the process and establish Jake’s innocence through the judicial system.”

The lawsuit describes Retzlaff, then 20, and the alleged victim as initiating contact via social media before Jane Doe and her friend visited Retzlaff’s home in November 2023. After a period of time, the friend left and Retzlaff and Jane Doe started to watch a movie in his room and began kissing. The lawsuit says Jane Doe did not want to go any further and asked him to “stop,” but Retzlaff eventually found a condom and assaulted her.

A few days later, she went to the hospital and a rape kit was used for purposes of gathering and preserving any potential evidence of assault. Doe also reportedly told Provo police of the incident at this time, yet did not invoke Retzlaff’s name.

BYU released a statement Wednesday: “BYU became aware today that a civil lawsuit involving Jake Retzlaff had been filed this morning. The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”

Retzlaff, a California native who began his career playing for Riverside (Calif.) City College, transferred to BYU prior to the 2023 season. After starting the final four games of the 2023 season, Retzlaff won a training-camp battle to become the Cougars’ regular quarterback in 2024. He led them to an 11-2 record that included an Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.

He finished the year with 2,947 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound redshirt senior is expected to reprise his role this fall.

–Field Level Media

Mar 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Shannon Sharpe during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Shannon Sharpe steps back from ESPN amid sexual assault lawsuit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Shannon Sharpe announced Thursday he will step away from ESPN as he faces a sexual assault lawsuit, while a report by Front Office Sports uncovered an additional incident in which Sharpe was accused of choking a female colleague at Fox.

Sharpe was the subject of a $50 million lawsuit in Nevada earlier this week, with a woman accusing him of sexually assaulting her, battering her and using his fame to control and subjugate her while they were in a relationship.

“My statement is found here and this is the truth,” Sharpe said Thursday in what appeared to be a screenshot of a text message posted to social media. “The relationship in question was 100% consensual.

“At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties.

“I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason.

“I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming and ongoing support I have received from my family, fans, friends and colleagues.”

The Pro Football Hall of Famer began appearing on ESPN’s “First Take” in September 2023. He signed a multi-year contract extension with the company last summer.

Buzbee and his client shared an audio call that is alleged to feature Sharpe threatening to “choke the (expletive) out of” her. The female voice in the call replied, “I don’t wanna be choked,” and the voice purported to be Sharpe said, “Yes, you do. I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.”

Sharpe’s attorney Lanny Davis said his client and the plaintiff were engaged in “a consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language and fantasy scenarios.” He also said that Sharpe didn’t mean the words literally.

In a previous statement, Sharpe claimed the lawsuit is filled with “lies, distortions and misrepresentations.” He also took aim at attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the plaintiff, saying Buzbee “targets” Black men.

Also on Thursday, Front Office Sports reported that when Sharpe worked for Fox as the co-host of FS1’s “Undisputed,” he was accused of choking a female production assistant in the workplace.

Per the report, Sharpe was not sued in the case, and he and Fox settled with the woman for several hundred thousand dollars.

“There was no incident of choking involving Shannon on the FS1 set,” a representative of Sharpe’s said in a statement to Front Office Sports. “On one occasion, he and a few colleagues were involved in some light physical interaction in a playful context. Fox Sports later chose to resolve the matter privately.”

–Field Level Media

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wideout Isaiah Bond (WO05) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL draft prospect Isaiah Bond surrenders on sexual assault warrant

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Wide receiver Isaiah Bond, a prospect in this month’s NFL draft, turned himself in to police in Frisco, Texas, on a sexual assault warrant on Thursday.

Bond posted bail and was released. He posted a statement to Instagram to deny that he committed the act.

“Regarding the accusation made against me, I would appreciate the time and opportunity to defend myself and prove the claims made, patently false,” Bond wrote. “I am in full cooperation with the authorities and will remain a willing and active participant in the investigation. Unfortunately, claims like these prove to be harmful to all involved, absent full review. I kindly request that all reserve judgement until the authorities provide a complete report based on truth and evidence. Humbly, Isaiah Bond.”

Details of the accusation against Bond were not yet known.

Bond transferred to Texas in 2024 after spending two seasons at Alabama. He had 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns and added four carries for 98 yards and a rushing touchdown in 14 games this past season.

Bond tallied 99 receptions for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year college career. Several outlets project him as a second- or third-round draft pick.

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throws as Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) closes in during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Deshaun Watson’s accuser plans to meet with NFL

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A woman suing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson intends to cooperate with the NFL as it reviews her allegations of sexual assault and battery, her attorney told ESPN.

The unidentified woman filed the civil lawsuit in Harris County, Texas, on Monday. She alleges that Watson assaulted her on a dinner date at her apartment in October 2020 when he played for the Houston Texans.

“We will be scheduling a meeting with the NFL and hope that can be accomplished in the next two weeks,” attorney Tony Buzbee wrote in an email to ESPN. “We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I’ve personally never had confidence in the NFL’s disciplinary process but my client has chosen to engage it.”

Buzbee represented two dozen other women who filed sexual misconduct lawsuits against Watson, which reportedly occurred during massage sessions. He settled 23 of the cases out of court.

The NFL is reviewing the most recent complaint to see if Watson violated its personal conduct policy. He has not been put on the commissioner’s exempt list since the investigation is only in the early stages, and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Watson will start against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Watson, who turns 29 on Saturday, issued a statement through his attorney, denying the woman’s claims.

This lawsuit is the latest legal trouble for Watson. In 2021, he sat out the season as allegations of sexual misconduct emerged with the first lawsuit filed against him in March.

After the Texans traded him to the Browns in a blockbuster deal, Watson served an 11-game suspension in the 2022 season and was fined $5 million.

The Browns signed Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract extension — fully guaranteed.

The suspension and injuries have limited Watson to just 13 starts over two-plus seasons in Cleveland.

With the Browns, he has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 2,386 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Dec 31, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) holds the ball andnkicker Brandon McManus (10) make the field goal against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Judge: Accusers of ex-Jags K Brandon McManus must drop pseudonyms

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A Florida circuit court judge dismissed a lawsuit Monday alleging that former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus sexually assaulted two women on a team flight last year.

But McManus’ accusers plan to re-file their case without the use of pseudonyms Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II, their attorney told ESPN.

According to court documents obtained by multiple outlets, Judge Michael S. Sharrit granted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit because under Florida law, anonymous filings of lawsuits “should be reserved for those exceptional circumstances that outweigh the public interest in open proceedings.” Sharrit also said that “fairness requires” the plaintiffs to “stand behind their charges publicly in the same way Defendant McManus must openly refute them.”

The judge ruled that the women have 10 days to amend their lawsuit using their names. Attorney Tony Buzbee told ESPN that that’s what they plan to do.

“Most defendants in sexual assault cases file these types of motions thinking that the victims won’t proceed if they have to publicly reveal their names,” Buzbee told ESPN in a statement. “We anticipated this ruling. To be clear, these women have no intention to run and hide, and will comply with the court’s order in a timely fashion. We look forward to continuing to pursue this important case.”

“We are very pleased with the court’s order in connection with Mr. McManus’ motion to dismiss these baseless allegations,” McManus’ attorney, Brett Gallaway, said in a statement. “We look forward to him returning to the NFL playing field as soon as possible.”

McManus is accused of rubbing and grinding against two women who were staffing a team flight to London for a game in the 2023 season. Jane Doe I said McManus tried to kiss her and Jane Doe II said McManus “smirked and walked away” after she confronted him about grinding against her.

The Jaguars are also named in the lawsuit, as the women claim the team did not provide a safe working environment on the flight.

The lawsuit was filed in May, after McManus had signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Washington Commanders. The Commanders soon released him, though it was later reported that the team paid out his full signing bonus.

McManus, 33, spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Denver Broncos before joining Jacksonville in 2023. He is not currently signed to a team for the upcoming season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) walks off the field after losing in the 2024 NFC wild card game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott accused of sexual assault after filing extortion suit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is being investigated for an alleged sexual assault in 2017 related to the extortion lawsuit he filed on Monday that claims the woman demanded money to remain quiet about the allegation.

The woman filed a criminal complaint Tuesday and Dallas police are investigating her claim that Prescott sexually assaulted her in the back of an SUV in the parking lot of a strip club, XTC Cabaret, on Feb. 2, 2017. Attorneys representing the accuser claim Prescott’s representatives acknowledge they were together on the night of the alleged incident.

Prescott’s lawsuit, which was filed in Collin County, lists the female accuser and her attorneys. Prescott claims they demanded $100 million for her silence in a letter he received in January.

The Dallas Police Department is investigating claims of sexual assault, and authorities in Prosper, Texas, began an extortion investigation one day before the alleged victim reported the alleged sexual assault.

“Mr. Prescott, a new father to a baby girl, has great empathy for survivors of sexual assault,” attorney Levi McCathern, who is representing Prescott, said in a statement to ESPN. “He fervently believes that all perpetrators of such crimes should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. To be clear, Mr. Prescott has never engaged in any nonconsensual sexual conduct with anyone. Lies hurt. Especially malicious lies. We will not allow the defendant and her legal team to profit from this attempt to extort millions from Mr. Prescott.”

Prescott, 30, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State.

He’s now entering his ninth season and the final season of a four-year, $160 million contract he signed in 2021. Prescott’s salary-cap figure in 2024 is $59.5 million and the Cowboys reportedly have held preliminary discussions regarding a long-term extension.

Nine quarterbacks have signed contracts with higher total values since Prescott and the Cowboys completed their existing agreement.

–Field Level Media

Punter Matt Araiza sends one downfield on the opening day of the Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Rochester Sunday, July 24, 2022. Sd 072422 Bills Camp 17 Spts

Report: Matt Araiza not present at time of alleged assault

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Punter Matt Araiza, who lost his NFL job after being implicated in an alleged gang rape, wasn’t present when the alleged incident occurred, Yahoo reported.

The outlet reviewed a transcript of more than 200 pages that reports what prosecutors in San Diego told the young woman and her attorneys as to why charges weren’t pressed.

The woman told police that Araiza and two teammates at San Diego State were at a party on Oct. 15, 2021, when Araiza walked her into a bedroom where “at least three other men” were waiting for her, according to a civil lawsuit she filed. Then 17, she said Araiza threw her on the bed and was part of a gang rape over a 90-minute period.

In her lawsuit, she acknowledged she had been drinking and said she was “in and out of consciousness” during the alleged assault.

San Diego police investigated her allegations for almost 10 months before giving the case to the district attorney without recommending prosecution.

The Buffalo Bills selected Araiza with the first pick of the sixth round in the 2022 draft. A prolific punter in college, he earned the starting job in preseason, during which he sent one punt sailing 82 yards in a game.

Soon after, the allegations emerged, and the Bills cut Araiza, 22. No team signed him, even after prosecutors announced last Dec. 7 that they wouldn’t be filing charges.

Few details emerged about their decision until Monday. The biggest takeaway from the Yahoo report was that the investigation by prosecutors determined Araiza left the premises about an hour before the time of the alleged assault.

“He wasn’t even at the party anymore,” deputy district attorney Trisha Amador explained to the alleged victim, per the Yahoo report. Later, Amador said, “All I know is that at that point, suspect Araiza is gone from the party.”

Also, prosecutors told the young woman that they had reviewed video recordings of the alleged incident and couldn’t determine that anything other than consensual sex with the other men in the room had taken place.

The attorney for the accuser, Dan Gilleon, told Fox News Digital that he intends to forge ahead with the civil suit and that his client will not be “bullied.”

“This case is going to trial, and we’ll force Araiza to talk,” Gilleon told Fox.

Some witnesses in the investigation have said the young woman didn’t appear to be intoxicated and that she told some of the people at the party that she was 18, per the report. It also indicated that the woman told her friends that night that she had consensual sex with at least two men at the party before the alleged assault.

–Field Level Media