NFL Hall of Famer and sports media personality Shannon Sharpe has been accused of rape in a 13-page civil suit, in which a Jane Doe alleges he sexually assaulted her on two occasions over the course of the past year. The three-time Super Bowl champ, who is being sued for over $50 million in compensatory and punitive damages, released a statement via his lawyer online disputing the claims.

The lawsuit, filed Sunday in Nevada’s Clark County by Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee (who is representing a number of accusers against Sean Combs), alleges that Sharpe’s consensual but “deeply manipulative” relationship with a woman 30 years his junior turned abusive, resulting in threats and actions of physical violence, including anal rape.

According to the complaint, Sharpe, who is now 56, first met the then-19-year-old plaintiff in 2023 at a Los Angeles gym and “incessantly pursued” her. After their initial meeting, the lawsuit describes...