Shannon Sharpe Out at ESPN After Settling Rape Lawsuit

Shannon Sharpe's days at ESPN are over -- the network has cut ties with the Pro Football Hall of Famer less than two weeks after settling a rape lawsuit, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

News of the split just dropped minutes ago ... with the Athletic reporting ESPN sparked the split.

It's a massive decision -- 57-year-old Sharpe was a staple on "First Take" after leaving FS1 in 2023, but has not appeared on the airwaves after a woman made serious sexual assault allegations against him in April.

Sharpe adamantly denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had nothing more than a rough, yet entirely consensual, relationship with his accuser ... and the filing was a "shakedown."

Sharpe ended up settling with the woman for an undisclosed amount ... with her attorney, Tony Buzbee, saying, "All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice."

Sharpe played 14 seasons in the NFL -- most notably for the Denver Broncos -- before transitioning to television ... and had his big break across from Skip Bayless on "Undisputed."