ESPN commentator and former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe made headlines this week when a woman accused him of rape.

What's more, the attorney for Sharpe's accuser has released an audio recording in which the ESPN figure can allegedly be heard saying that he might choke her "in public."  

"F--king choke the s--t out of you"

According to Breitbart, the audio footage was released by lawyers working for the woman, who has thus far only been referred to as "Jane Doe."

#ShannonSharpe's accuser's lawyer has released new audio in which you can hear the ESPN commentator threatening to choke the woman in public -- but Shannon's team is adamant it's not what it sounds like. Read the full #exclusive: https://t.co/vRpfsj8S84 pic.twitter.com/3bAJIcuG3K

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 23, 2025

At one point someone who is purported to be Sharpe can be heard saying, "I might choke you in public … big Black guy chokes small white woman." A woman then responds by saying, "It's not a good look."

Meanwhile, People magazine noted how in another excerpt, Sharpe apparently told the woman he would "f--king choke the s--t out of you when I see you."

Tony Buzbee is Jane's lead attorney, and he portrayed the 56-year-old Sharpe as an abusive boyfriend who preyed on his 19-year-old client.

Lawyer: Recordings misleading, "heavily edited"

"Defendant Shannon Sharpe, a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants completely fails to understand this basic concept," Buzbee said.

"After many months of manipulating and controlling Plaintiff -- a woman more than thirty years younger than he -- and repeatedly threatening to brutally choke and violently slap her, Sharpe refused to accept the answer no and raped Plaintiff, despite her sobbing and repeated screams of 'no,'" the attorney added.

However, Lanny J. Davis serves as Sharpe's lawyer, and he claimed that the audio recordings are "heavily edited" and misleading.

Breitbart reported on Tuesday that Davis offered the woman $10 million to drop the case before she "suddenly, without warning, walked away from our offer."

Sharpe: Lawsuit a "shakedown"

Breitbart noted that for his part, Sharpe has denied any wrongdoing and characterized the lawsuit as being a "shakedown," saying, "I know my family and fans know exactly what this is about."

"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," the former football player and sports commentator insisted.

Nevertheless, NBC News reported on Thursday that Sharpe said he will "step aside temporarily" from his role at ESPN to address "these false and disruptive allegations."