The initial hearing for Shannon Sharpe’s sexual assault lawsuit in Nevada faced an unexpected hiccup on Wednesday when the attorney for his accuser did not show up in court. This no-show has cast doubt on the progression of the case against the NFL legend.

Jane Doe, the plaintiff in the lawsuit against her former partner Sharpe, is represented by Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee. However, Buzbee missed the court session this week because of a mix-up caused by the defense’s side. 

“There was an agreement to reschedule that hearing with Mr. Sharpe’s main lawyer,” Buzbee explained to Daily Mail in an email. “It seems there was a miscommunication with Sharpe’s legal team. Mr. Sharpe’s lawyer plans to send a letter of apology to the court for the inconvenience caused.”

One of Sharpe’s attorneys, Robert DeMarco, was on hand for the hearing, but Sharpe’s other lawyers were out of state and unable to attend, DeMarco told 8newsnow.com, 

That Las Vegas news outlet also reported that Judge Anna Albertson expressed her disappointment in Buzbee’s absence on Wednesday. 

Sharpe’s legal team has yet to file an official response to the lawsuit. On Wednesday, they asked Albertson to review progress in the case in 45 days. Albertson was surprised Sharpe’s team wasn’t more eager to settle, but nonetheless granted the request, according to 8newsnow.com. 

The next hearing will be September 3.  

The $50 million lawsuit accuses Sharpe of repeatedly raping his now-ex girlfriend, identified as Jane Doe, in 2024 and 2025.

The accuser claims she was abused by Sharpe over their year-long relationship. She also claims that it was another woman, and not her, who was caught having sex with Sharpe when the Pro Football Hall of Famer accidentally streamed live audio of the encounter on social media in September.

Sharpe is first accused of raping Doe the following month, allegedly forcing himself on her as she ‘was crying and sobbing.’ He allegedly raped her again in January after arriving at her home with promises of Christmas and birthday gifts.

‘The lawsuit lays out a pattern of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse, including allegations that Sharpe repeatedly threatened to choke and slap Jane Doe,’ read an April statement from Buzbee.

Sharpe has denied the accusations in a statement through his attorneys in which he identified his accuser by name.

Buzbee is best known for representing 20 women who accused NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment. 

He also represented a woman who accused rapper Jay-Z of rape only to drop her allegations. Jay-Z ultimately sued Buzbee for allegedly making false claims, but that lawsuit was also dismissed. 

Doe and Sharpe met in 2023 when she was 20 and he was in his mid-50s, according to the filing obtained by Daily Mail. The woman claims Sharpe told her he would ‘buy her fake t**s’ if she won a weight-loss competition with him. From there, she claims, Sharpe pursued her vigorously, calling, texting and ‘demanding she come to his Beverly Glen mansion.’

Curiously, Sharpe demanded she sign a non-disclosure agreement when their relationship began, only to drop that request when she repeatedly refused.

‘… Sharpe made another demand—she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, an ”NDA,”’ reads the filing obtained by Daily Mail. ‘He refused to explain why and would not let her see a copy of the proposed agreement. He simply insisted she sign one. Plaintiff refused. After multiple attempts, when he realized she would not cooperate, he finally dropped the issue.’

Jane Doe describes their relationship as consensual but claims he ‘demanded complete control over her time and body.’ Often he was ‘expecting her to be at his house on his schedule, at his command, whenever he called,’ according to the filing.

She became particularly fearful of Sharpe during an argument during which there was a handgun visible in the room.

‘Plaintiff tried sharing her location with friends from her iPhone — just in case,’ the filings state. ‘But Sharpe saw her doing this. The moment he realized what she was doing, he grabbed her by the neck and told her, ”If you ever do that again, I will f***ing kill you.”’

A popular podcast host and ESPN personality, Sharpe is rumored to be in line for a massive new deal.

Front Office Sports has reported that Sharpe has received multiple offers as his current media deal with Colin Cowherd’s platform, The Volume, is set to expire. Furthermore, sources told FSO Sharpe’s next deal is expected to exceed $100 million, which happens to be the reported amount Smith got in his recent contract negotiations with ESPN .

That might come as a surprise, but Sharpe does have a massive audience. A recent interview with comedian Katt Williamson hit nearly 90 million views and Club Shay Shay currently boasts around 4 million subscribers, making it among the most popular podcasts in sports and entertainment.

Regardless of whether Sharpe’s next deal surpasses $100 million in total value, it will assuredly exceed the $22 million he made over 14 NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.

The brother of former Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe, Shannon played at little-known Savannah State before being taken by the Denver Broncos as an afterthought in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft.

But instead of being a backup or role player, Sharpe soon established himself as one of the most productive tight ends in football despite not possessing elite size at just 6-foot-2, 228-pounds.

He would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Broncos and another with the Baltimore Ravens before turning to Denver to finish his career in 2003.