"Is there other forces at play here?": Marcellus Wiley compares Shannon Sharpe's allegations with his own case from two years ago

On May 2, 2025, former Pro Bowler and sportscaster Marcellus Wiley shared his thoughts on Shannon Sharpe's recent legal troubles, after a $50 million lawsuit was filed by Sharpe's former girlfriend, accusing him of s*xual assault.

Wiley offered the possibility that Sharpe's legal case might be part of a larger scenario, not a mere individual legal battle. Comparing Shannon Sharpe's case to his own legal battle from two years ago, Marcellus Wiley questioned,

"Is there other forces at play here than just Shannon Sharp?"

According to People Magazine, two women have accused Marcellus Wiley of s*xual assault, which dates back to the 1990s, during his time at Columbia University.

The first lawsuit was filed in November 2023, while a second was brought forward by another woman in March 2025, filed in the New York Supreme Court.

Wiley explained that when the allegations against him first caught the public eye, people around him warned him to be cautious about speaking out on political issues and other topics.

"Look, what caught me crazy is like when my allegations came up, it was like two years ago, and it was like somebody warned me. It was like 'You talking too much about all these people.' Then somebody was like, "Dawg, you better chill." And I was like, 'Chill for what?'," he said.

As per Wiley, many suggested to him that powerful forces, possibly linked to the "deep state," could influence his legal battle, causing serious consequences.

"They was like, "Man, I'm just telling you there's a machine out there." and they call it the deep state."

Marcellus Wiley explained that he initially did not believe these forces, describing them as "sci-fi." However, he started to reconsider as things unfolded. Wiley speculated that bigger organizations could control their legal battles.

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What are the allegations against Shannon Sharpe?

Shannon Sharpe at the 2024 HOPE Global Forum (Image via Getty)

In April 2025, a woman listed in the court documents as Jane Doe filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against the former American football player in Nevada for r*pe, battery, and emotional distress.

According to the lawsuit, the two were in a "rocky consensual relationship" for two years after they met in a Los Angeles gym when she was 19 and Sharpe was 56.

Jane Doe alleged that Sharpe used his fame to "manipulate, control, subjugate and violate women," and also accused him of recording and sending away intimate videos, causing her to face emotional distress.

In addition, she claimed that he had r*ped her twice in October 2024 and January 2025, and "despite her sobbing and repeated screams of no," Shannone Sharpe "refused to accept the answer no."

The lawsuit also alleged that what started with "manipulation, control, and intimidation" escalated into something "more dangerous and sinister." It also claimed that "Sharpe even figured out how to get into Doe’s apartment complex without her permission."

The lawsuit further stated:

“A woman can say ‘yes’ to consensual s*xual relations with a man ninety-nine times, but when she says ‘no’ even once, that ‘no’ means no. Defendant Shannon Sharpe, a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants, completely fails to understand this basic concept.”

On April 22, 2025, after the lawsuit became public, Shannon Sharpe posted a video on his Instagram, declaring, "This is a shakedown. I'm going to be open, transparent, and defend myself because this isn't right."

He alleged that the situation was being plotted by the alleged victim's attorney, Tony Buzbee, who, according to Shannone, "targets black people."

Shannon Sharpe claimed that Buzbee intended to "release a 30-second intimate clip of him" to make him appear "guilty" and called him out for "manipulating media."

However, on April 29, Buzbee told TMZ Sports that the s*x tape at the center of the case will remain confidential. He denied all claims of releasing the video and said,

"We won’t be 'releasing' the video as it is key evidence in the case and will be treated as such."

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Meanwhile, on April 24, 2025, Shannon Sharpe said that his relationship with the plaintiff was "100% consensual," and that he is temporarily stepping aside from his "ESPN duties."

“I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason," Shannone Sharp wrote.