Shannon Sharpe will step aside from his job at ESPN following a civil lawsuit that accused him of raping a woman twice. Sharpe, 56, announced the decision Thursday on social media, shortly after Deadline reported he would not return to his usual spot on “First Take” next week.

Shannon Sharpe is stepping away from ESPN for the next few months. The Hall of Fame tight end and "First Take" host announced on Thursday that he is stepping back from his broadcast appearances on the network while he deals with the fallout of a $50 million lawsuit filed earlier this week.