Shannon Sharpe is on the outs with ESPN after he recently settled a lawsuit with Gabriella Zuniga, who accused him of sexual assault. After they settled, she allegedly announced her retirement from OnlyFans. Sharpe has now lost his co-host spot on the sports network, and social media is gagging over the back-to-back updates. For the second time since Zuniga sued him, fans and critics are circulating the dating advice Mo’Nique offered him in 2024. Let’s get into what Mo’Nique said and how Shannon Sharpe has reacted to this closed chapter!
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The Internet Hasn’t Forgotten Mo’Nique’s Advice
In February 2024, Mo’Nique dropped some dating gems for Shannon Sharpe on his podcast ‘Club Shay Shay.’ She told him to get himself an “old fat gal” to settle down with, saying that’s what her baby Shannon needed.
“He need him an old fat gal who could bake good cakes, make some smothered turkey wings, who gone rub his feet at the night time, okay?… You don’t need no 26-year-old girl. You don’t need no 36 year-old girl. This is your auntie talkin’ to you,” Mo’Nique told Sharpe at the time.
One repost of the video on X has generated 2.7 million views and more than 5,000 retweets. That video was the first clip that popped up after searching for Shannon Sharpe on the platform on Thursday. In the comment section of more than 200, folks seem to agree with Auntie Monique’s take. She has yet to offer Sharpe any updated advice amid the lawsuit, and not ESPN giving him the boot!
Shannon Sharpe ain’t to listen to Mo’nique’s advice and it cost him his ESPN job…
— 🗝️ (@DiaryOfKeysus) July 30, 2025
Fast-forward to July 2025, and Shannon Sharpe privately settled with Gabriella Zuniga, whom he first met at a gym in Los Angeles in 2023. At the time, she was 20, and they stayed in contact for two years. In April of this year, she sued him in Nevada, and said on record that he raped her in October 2024 and in January. She sought $50 million from him. He called her allegations “false and disruptive.”
What Happened Between Shannon Sharpe & ESPN?
After Gabrielle Zuniga sued him in April, Shannon Sharpe stepped away from work at ESPN. At the time, he had reportedly pledged to return by the start of the NFL preseason, per AP. But fans who were expecting that comeback won’t see it happen. AP confirmed on Wednesday (July 30) that Sharpe will not return.
Two weeks ago, he and Gabriella settled for an undisclosed amount. Her lawyer announced on X that her lawsuit would be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it couldn’t be refilled. Additionally, the lawyer admitted that the relationship itself had been consensual on both parties’ part.
“Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” Buzbee said. “After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution.”
It’s a wrap for the four-time All-Pro tight end who won three Super Bowls during his 14-year career. Instead of returning for pre-season commentary, ESPN opted to move on from him. Shannon Sharpe joined the network in 2023 and signed a multiyear contract in 2024. He was a panelist on the network’s morning show ‘First Take.’
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Shannon Sharpe Reacts To ESPN Decision
Opting not to hide from the limelight, Shannon appeared on video on Wednesday to thank ESPN and his supporters for rocking with him. He said he learned the information earlier in the week but wanted to keep it private so that the news wouldn’t overshadow his brother, Sterling Sharpe’s, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday (August 2). Ultimately, Shannon said he enjoyed his time with the network and that he’s at peace with it. He also repeatedly apologized to his brother, saying he wished the update could’ve waited.
Will Shannon Sharpe return to TV sports commentary? Only time will tell, but his resume is padded with way more than just ESPN. He has been a TV and social media staple since retiring in 2003. He joined CBS in 2004 as an analyst on ‘The NFL Today’ studio show before leaving in 2013. Three years later, he joined forces with Skip Bayless on the FS1 sports debate show ‘Undisputed.’ Sharpe left in 2023 after Bayless took a shot at Sharpe’s NFL playing career during a debate a couple of months earlier. Sharpe still has his ‘Club Shay Shay’ and ‘Nightcap’ podcasts with former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson.
On the football field, he’s also done his big one. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Also, Sharpe retired as the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (815), yards receiving (10,060), and touchdowns (62). Those records have been broken.
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Associated Press Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
