With the door slammed shut on Shannon Sharpe's return to ESPN, the network seems intent on finding a suitable sports figure who can go toe-to-toe with Stephen A. Smith. But it looks like they may have their eyes set on someone already.

Shannon Sharpe won't be part of the "First Take" family this NFL season, which means ESPN is running out of time to find a suitable replacement. Back in April, the Hall of Famer stepped down from his role on "First Take" because he was sued for sexual assault and battery in Nevada civil

Shannon Sharpe was fired from ESPN in July 2025 after he settled a $50 million rape and sexual assault lawsuit. Here's everything to know about why Shannon Sharpe was fired and the $50 million rape and sexual assault lawsuit he settled.