Shannon Sharpe Vows To Sue Rape Accuser For Defamation

Shannon Sharpe is vowing to sue his rape accuser for defamation ... in wake of the allegations she made against him in a bombshell lawsuit she filed on Sunday.

The ESPN personality addressed Jane Doe's explosive claims in a video that he posted to his Instagram page on Tuesday morning ... just minutes after the woman's attorney, Tony Buzbee, released an audio file to TMZ Sports that he says shows Sharpe threatening his client with "disturbing, aggressive, and dangerous" language.

Sharpe opened up his statement by claiming Doe's case "is a shakedown." He then accused Buzbee of orchestrating the attempted cash grab -- explaining he believes "Tony Buzbee targets Black men."

Sharpe then stated he thinks Buzbee is going to release "a 30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make me look guilty and play into every stereotype you could possibly imagine."

"That video should actually be 10 minutes or so," Sharpe continued. "Hey, Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out. I don't have it, or I would myself. You know what happened, and you're trying to manipulate the media. The encounter in question took place during the day at her invitation, and now that appears to be a deliberate setup."

Sharpe did not address the audio that Buzbee put out ... though he ended his video by proclaiming he's going to drag the attorney and his client to court for "defamation and trying to take me down."

"I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about," the Pro Football Hall of Famer said. "And I'm going to be out there telling you whatever I need to say, just like I always do. I love all you guys. Thanks."

In Doe's lawsuit, she alleged Sharpe raped her multiple times in late 2024 and early 2025 -- after she had attempted to end their nearly two-year long relationship following cheating allegations.