DEVELOPING: Shannon Sharpe Apparently Leaves CBS To Handle Legal Matter

This has been a crazy start to the week in sports media. There’s the Ines Sainz story that seems to be gaining legs. Jay Mariotti being charged with domestic violence. The US Open being cut off on two networks and then there’s the Shannon Sharpe story which will be gaining some traction now.

We learned over the weekend through SportsbyBrooks that the former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens tight end and current NFL Today analyst, Shannon Sharpe had a restraining order posted against him by a Georgia woman claiming “family violence.”

While this was going on, Sharpe appeared on Sunday’s NFL Today, did not address the situation and went on as if nothing happened. Phil Mushnick of the New York Post criticized CBS for allowing Sharpe to work.

So we’ve learned again through SportsbyBrooks that Sharpe has decided to leave CBS for the time being. Taking a closer look at the restraining order, the woman claims that Sharpe forced her to have sex with him and threatened her life on numerous occasions. That is a very serious charge.

A CBS Sports spokesperson tells SportsbyBrooks that the network accepts Sharpe’s decision and won’t comment further.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has a legal background and he explores the claims of the woman wondering why this was filed without Sharpe being able to respond to the charges.

As Florio states, if the claims are dismissed, Sharpe will be back to work at CBS quickly. But if they aren’t, then Sharpe could miss more time.

We’ll continue to monitor.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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