The former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe has been spending quite a busy time after hanging up his cleats. After pairing up with Skip Bayless for a prolonged period to host Fox Sports 1’s Undisputed, he left the show recently following some major disputes.
Sharpe has recently teamed up with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s ‘First Take,’ and the show has witnessed a new wave of popularity since his arrival. Apart from leaving Fox Sports, he encountered a setback when former NFL quarterback Brett Favre filed a lawsuit against him. Thankfully, the veteran resolved this issue as well.
Brett Favre’s defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe dismissed
On Monday, the defamation lawsuit brought against Sharpe by Favre was dismissed. U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett issued a statement, affirming that the comments made by the ESPN analyst were protected under the Constitution as rhetorical hyperbole, using loose and figurative language. Consequently, they are not eligible to substantiate a defamation claim as a matter of law.
The ex-NFL star also took to social media platform X to share the news about the dismissal of the lawsuit while appreciating his legal team for handling the case.
“The United States District Court 4 the Southern District of Mississippi 2day dismissed Brett Favre’s defamation lawsuit against me. The court found the statements were protected by the 1st Amendment 2 the Constitution. Thanks 2 my legal team and their handling of this case.”
The judge also emphasized that Shannon mentioned on the show that the former Green Bay Packers icon had not faced any criminal charges.
Why did Brett Favre file a lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe?
Favre filed defamation lawsuits this year in February against Sharpe, former NFL punter Pat McAfee, and Mississippi state auditor Shad White. These lawsuits were in response to their comments about his alleged involvement in a Mississippi welfare fraud scandal.
The ESPN analyst said on his former show “Undisputed” that the ex-NFL QB “stole money from people that really needed that money”. Brett earlier ended his lawsuit against McAfee as he apologized for his on-air statements. Meanwhile, his lawsuit against Shad is still pending, via ABC News.
The former QB is reportedly one of the defendants in the lawsuit that sought to recoup a minimum of $77 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) misspent funds. According to the lawsuit, he got $1.1 million in cash from TANF funds for speeches he never made.
Besides that, the football prodigy was accused of forcing state officials to provide funds for a new volleyball facility on campus when his daughter was included in the team. Eight people got embroiled in the legal battle, and six of them pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, the ex-Packers veteran would have to remain in the civil suit.
