Shannon Sharpe expresses gratitude to Stephen A for being there "every step of the way" during the scandal that led up to his ESPN exit

Former football tight end Shannon Sharpe thanked Stephen A for being supportive when he was embroiled in a scandal, which eventually led to his exit from ESPN. According to the BBC, Sharpe faced sexual assault allegations from a woman who had been in a relationship with him for two years. The lawsuit was eventually settled, and he left the sports media company afterward.

On a recent episode of his Nightcap podcast, Shannon Sharpe looked back on the incident and remembered the ones who were with him during that phase. Sharpe said he has become guarded and stays on high alert. He said:

“I really don't know who I can really trust because what I've seen over the last six months, there are very few people that you can actually trust.”

As a result, he said he has limited the duration of interactions with people because the more he interacts with others, the more stories could emerge about him. During the conversation, a viewer mentioned Stephen A, to which Sharpe responded:

“I'm looking at the chat. Everybody say Stephen A. No, I will say this. Stephen A has called me and been there every step of the way. I will say that. I will say Stephen A has reached out. He's called, asked me anything.”

Shannon Sharpe said that people often had different opinions about Stephen A, but he could only talk about how Stephen A treated him. When Sharpe faced tough times at Fox, Stephen A supported him, checked on him, and offered help. Shannon said their private talks would remain between them.

Shannon Sharpe remembers his brother’s lesson and knowing the true faces of people

Shannon Sharpe shared that his brother once told him there was an important lesson in what he was going through. When he said he wished he knew what it was, his brother explained that knowing it early would have stopped him from truly learning. His brother told him he would understand it when the time was right.

He also said many people stayed in touch with him, but they stopped reaching out after the incident occurred. Sharpe said:

“I don't wish this on anybody, but what it did do is it really showed me who's really really there. There are a lot of people on the peripheral when things were going well with we're at the apex and getting invited to everything. I'm talking about ain't called. Ain't called.”

Shannon Sharpe said that he had faced hard times before, including being publicly criticized and embarrassed. It took him some time to understand that during such moments, he just needed to talk to the people closest to him, like his family and best friends. Once he explained things to them, they told him everything was okay.

Also Read: What were the charges against Shannon Sharpe? Lawsuit explored as ESPN parts ways with 'First Take' host

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