Michele Evans is a former girlfriend of retired NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster Shannon Sharpe who has accused him of a 2010 sexual assault, filed and then withdrew a restraining order against him that year, sued him for defamation in 2023, and publicly supported a separate accuser whose $50 million civil suit against Sharpe was filed and settled in 2025. The dispute between Michele Evans and Shannon Sharpe stretches back roughly fifteen years, and none of her allegations has resulted in criminal charges.
Who Evans Is and How She Knew Sharpe
Michele Bundy Evans has said she met Sharpe in the Denver Broncos locker room in April 2002 while working as a local sports reporter. According to Evans, the two began dating shortly after and carried on what she described as an “open relationship” for about a decade.1Complex. Shannon Sharpe Accuser Threatened Destroy Her Alleged Sexual Assault She has said the relationship deteriorated in 2010 over a dispute involving Sharpe moving another woman into his Atlanta home while pressuring Evans to leave her husband.
The 2010 Assault Allegation
Evans alleges that during the 2010 confrontation Sharpe sexually assaulted her. In a May 2025 interview with The Sun, she said she refused sexual contact because of his infidelity and that he “overpowered” her, forced her to perform oral sex, and then had non-consensual intercourse with her.1Complex. Shannon Sharpe Accuser Threatened Destroy Her Alleged Sexual Assault She has also said Sharpe threatened to “destroy” her and to kill her if she told anyone, and that he later called to say he was “watching” her.2Yahoo Entertainment. Shannon Sharpe Accused of Raping Second Woman
The Dropped Restraining Order
In 2010, Evans filed a temporary protective order against Sharpe in Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia, alleging sexual assault, stalking, and death threats.3CBS News. Shannon Sharpe Update Restraining Order Dismissed The filing prompted Sharpe to take a leave of absence from his role as an NFL analyst at CBS Sports.
She voluntarily dismissed the order shortly afterward. Sharpe was never arrested or charged in connection with her allegations, and he said at the time that “no monies and no communications were exchanged” as part of the dismissal.4UPI. Sharpe Back at CBS After Woman Drops Claim Evans has since said she withdrew the filing because she felt threatened at her home and feared for her safety and that of her child.2Yahoo Entertainment. Shannon Sharpe Accused of Raping Second Woman
Acquaintances of Evans told CBS News at the time that she was “infatuated” with Sharpe and prone to fabricating stories, and one said police had escorted her from his home after she overstayed her welcome.3CBS News. Shannon Sharpe Update Restraining Order Dismissed
The 2023 Defamation Lawsuit
In late 2023, Evans sued Sharpe for defamation, libel, and slander, alleging that his public remarks about their legal history had damaged her reputation. She cited the 2010 incidents to support the claim.5Times of India. Shannon Sharpe’s Ex Michele Evans Expresses Concern for Jane Doe’s Safety
Sharpe’s attorney, Mitchell Schuster, called the allegations “old news, fanciful exaggerations, or sometimes blatant misrepresentations of fact,” said Evans was “obsessed” with Sharpe, and told reporters she was manufacturing her story for financial gain. Schuster also stated that Evans had previously served three years in prison for attempting to kill her husband and was on probation when she filed the suit.1Complex. Shannon Sharpe Accuser Threatened Destroy Her Alleged Sexual Assault Sharpe’s team said he planned to countersue for defamation, and a spokesperson denied all of Evans’s allegations as “ridiculous and completely without merit.”2Yahoo Entertainment. Shannon Sharpe Accused of Raping Second Woman
Her Role in the 2025 Jane Doe Lawsuit
Evans returned to national attention in April 2025 when an anonymous woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed a $50 million civil suit against Sharpe in Clark County, Nevada, alleging that he had raped and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions between October 2024 and January 2025.6Courthouse News Service. Shannon Sharpe Accused of Sexual Assault and Battery in $50 Million Lawsuit The Jane Doe complaint itself referenced another woman’s defamation suit against Sharpe, an apparent allusion to Evans’s 2023 case.7Los Angeles Times. Shannon Sharpe Rape Lawsuit Settled
Evans publicly backed the anonymous accuser and criticized Sharpe’s legal team for releasing the plaintiff’s full name and account information, which she called “doxxing.” In a public statement, she said, “I’ve been dealing with this for 15 years, so I know what you’re going through. I worry for her safety.”5Times of India. Shannon Sharpe’s Ex Michele Evans Expresses Concern for Jane Doe’s Safety
Sharpe denied the Jane Doe allegations through his attorney Lanny J. Davis, who called the lawsuit a “blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars.”8Deadline. Shannon Sharpe Settles Rape Lawsuit The case was settled on confidential terms in July 2025 and dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.9Trellis Law. Jane Doe v. Shannon Sharpe, A-25-917246-C No criminal charges have been filed against Sharpe in connection with either Evans’s or Jane Doe’s allegations.10The Guardian. Shannon Sharpe ESPN Exit Lawsuit Settlement