The Shannon Sharpe controversy just took another sharp turn. New audio released Wednesday morning captures the ESPN commentator allegedly threatening his accuser during a phone conversation.
The voice on the recording, believed to be Sharpe’s, can be heard saying, “I might choke you in public… big Black guy chokes small white woman.”
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the woman accusing Sharpe of rape, released the audio as part of a broader pushback against what he calls Sharpe’s “attacks” on both him and his client. Buzbee said in a statement that the clip “provides a fair picture of the relationship shortly before the alleged assault,” but he didn’t clarify when they recorded it.
Context In Question
The audio, first obtained and published by TMZ, begins mid-conversation, with Sharpe confirming he plans to travel to Los Angeles. The woman, who met Sharpe when she was reportedly 19 and he was in his mid-50s, questions his intentions. The conversation then veers into uncomfortable territory when Sharpe makes the choking remark. She says she’s not interested in being choked. Sharpe continues the exchange without backing down.
His legal team responded quickly, arguing the clip lacks crucial context and insisting the relationship involved “frequent role play and consensual fantasy talk.”
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Sharpe’s camp also pointed to a text message they claim the woman sent in October 2023. In it, she allegedly requested, “put a dog collar around my neck and choke me with it while ur f***ing me.”
A spokesperson for Sharpe said, “This is a very small excerpt with no date or context attached to it.”
The legal back-and-forth escalated after the woman filed a civil lawsuit Sunday, accusing Sharpe of raping her in late 2024 and early 2025. Sharpe fired back at a press conference held by his attorney, Lanny J. Davis, who displayed what he said were dozens of text messages showing the woman initiating sexual role-play and later growing hostile when Sharpe declined to have a child with her.
“This woman’s story changed only when Shannon said no to fathering a child,” Davis told reporters. Sharpe has since announced plans to sue for defamation.
As both sides trade allegations and evidence, the public spotlight intensifies. For now, the full truth remains tangled in a growing stack of recordings, text threads, and legal threats
