Legal Doesn’t Equal Moral: Shannon Sharpe, Power, And Consent

Shannon Sharpe is in the headlines, and this time it’s not because of his booming laugh or sports takes on ‘Club Shay Shay.’

The Hall of Fame tight end turned sports media figure—once the co-host of Undisputed with Skip Bayless and, until recently, a prominent voice on ESPN’s First Take—is now facing a $50 million lawsuit from a 19-year-old woman who alleges sexual assault and battery. In response to the allegations, Sharpe has temporarily stepped away from his ESPN role. And while the legal case unfolds, there’s a deeper, more uncomfortable conversation we need to have. Because what’s “legal” isn’t always moral. And what we allow says everything about what—and who—we’re willing to protect.

First, the facts. The civil suit alleges that Sharpe engaged in coercive, degrading behavior with a young woman less than half his age. Not only does the lawsuit include allegations of sexual assault, but it also reveals deeply inappropriate, racially charged exchanges between Sharpe and the young woman. According to text messages released, she made comments about wanting to have his “Black babies,” a disturbing example of race play and fetishization. And yet, he still engaged. Instead of shutting it down or stepping away, he chose to lean in. That alone should’ve been a flag — not just for him, but for everyone around him. Because when race is fetishized in sexual dynamics, especially across significant age and power gaps, the harm isn’t just personal—it’s political. 

Some on social media have rushed to defend Sharpe by emphasizing that the young woman is of legal age. But if the only justification for a 54-year-old man’s behavior is that it doesn’t violate the law, then the moral foundation of that defense is already collapsing under its own weight.

This isn’t a legal debate. It’s a moral one. It’s about power. It’s about manipulation. And it’s about the ways we excuse predatory behavior as long as the man is rich, famous, or charming enough to distract us.

A 19-year-old may be legally an adult, but she is barely out of high school. She is still shaping her identity, learning boundaries, and figuring out her worth in a world that constantly devalues women and girls. The science backs this up: the human brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex that governs decision-making and impulse control, doesn’t fully develop until around age 25. But even if it did, that still wouldn’t make this okay.

Shannon Sharpe has adult daughters in their 30s. Think about that. And then ask: if a 54-year-old man pursued one of his daughters when she was 19, would he be fine with it? Would you?

It’s easy to cheer Sharpe on for “bagging” someone three decades younger when it’s not your daughter, sister, cousin, or niece. But it’s also wildly hypocritical. Some of the same men defending this are the same ones who’d burn the world down if their own daughter came home talking about a man in his 50s or 40s or 30s or dating at all. Let’s stop pretending we don’t see the double standard.

These are also the same men who degrade women for having OnlyFans—an online subscription platform that allows people to share adult content directly with paying subscribers—but will turn around and spend rent money at strip clubs or slide into DMs begging for attention. The same men who judge her for how she makes a living are the ones fueling the demand. 

This isn’t just about Shannon Sharpe. This is about how many men like him exist in our communities. In our circles. At our churches. In our group chats. Men who abuse power dynamics and get celebrated for it. Men who use wealth, age, or status to coerce affection, then hide behind legal definitions of consent when the harm becomes public.

It’s also important to address a frequent deflection: the claim that Black people do not hold white men to the same standard in cases like this. That assertion is simply not accurate. The #MeToo movement itself was sparked by public allegations against Harvey Weinstein, a white man who was eventually convicted after decades of reported sexual violence. Leonardo DiCaprio has faced sustained public criticism for his pattern of dating women significantly younger than him, all under the age of 25. Russell Brand is currently under investigation following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. In other words, white men have been, and continue to be, publicly scrutinized and held accountable for similar behavior by Black people even if not by case law..

The issue isn’t that Black men are unfairly criticized—it’s that too many of us are uncomfortable holding Black men accountable when they cause harm. And that’s what makes it easier for folks like Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Russell Simmons, and others to get away with sexual violence for decades. It’s not that no one knew. It’s that too many people refused to believe—or simply didn’t care.

Consider the public reaction to the recent situation involving Draya Michele, a 39-year-old woman, and Jalen Green, a 23-year-old NBA player, after news emerged that she was pregnant. The response was swift: social media was flooded with commentary questioning the age gap, and many raised concerns about grooming and power dynamics. People asked—rightfully—how the reaction might differ if the roles were reversed. And that’s precisely the point: significant age and power disparities should raise concerns, regardless of gender. When an individual with far more life experience, influence, and access engages with someone just entering adulthood, it warrants scrutiny. So why is it reframed as an achievement or “relationship goals” when the older party is a man?

We have to think more critically about what we condone under the banner of adulthood. Just because someone is legally allowed to consent doesn’t mean they’re in an equal position to do so. Power imbalances matter. Age gaps matter. Intentions matter — especially when the older person holds more social, financial, and emotional leverage.

And I really hope people are paying attention—not just to what’s being said in headlines or Threads, but in their own lives. I hope they’re listening to what’s being said in barbershops, at brunch tables, on FaceTime calls. Because the defense of predatory behavior doesn’t just happen out loud; it happens in silence too.

Predators don’t thrive because they’re geniuses. They thrive because people protect them. They get away with it because we look away. Because we stay quiet. Because we tell ourselves it’s not that bad. Until it is.

So no, this isn’t just about Shannon Sharpe. It’s about a culture that has made it far too easy for men to exploit younger women and call it game. It’s about a culture that refuses to acknowledge harm unless it ends in criminal conviction. And it’s about whether we’re willing to keep letting “legal” be the floor when “ethical” should be the standard.

Discomfort in the face of these truths is not only expected—it’s necessary. It should prompt reflection, accountability, and a deeper reckoning with the cultural norms we’ve long accepted. Because if we fail to confront these patterns now, we will continue to see them repeat. Different names, same dynamics. And with every excuse we make, we send a clear message to survivors: that their pain is the cost of our silence. It should never be.

It’s not. And it never should have been.

Preston Mitchum is the founder of PDM Consulting, based in Washington, DC. His work focuses on racial justice, gender equity, LGBTQ+ liberation, and the pursuit of policies that move beyond symbolism to create lasting change.

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