The days preceding the draft were dominated by news of a sexual assault lawsuit that had been filed against Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe. An ill-advised P.R. blitz, which included his lawyer, Lanny Davis, that Sharpe had offered at least $10 million to settle the case, fueled the coverage for multiple days.

Then, things died down.

Now, more than two months after the case was filed against Sharpe, he has not responded to the civil complaint. In most jurisdictions, a response is due within 30 days after service. Extensions are commonly granted among lawyers as a courtesy.

The electronic database for the Clark County, Nevada civil court system shows various filings regarding the lawyer(s) who will be associated with the case. A hearing on three different motions to associate counsel is set for July 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time. The hearing originally had been set for June 30.

Davis said in a press conference held two days after the filing of the case that Sharpe will file a counterclaim against the plaintiff. For now, though, there has been no formal response by Sharpe to the civil complaint.

Less than a week after the case was filed, Sharpe stepped away from his employment with ESPN until the start of the NFL preseason. With the preseason looming (the Hall of Fame game happens on July 31) and the case still in its infancy, it remains to be seen whether Sharpe will indeed return by the end of the month.