Shannon Sharpe Shares Response to Brett Favre Losing Appeal in Defamation Case Against Him

Shannon Sharpe is happy to be leaving Brett Favre's defamation lawsuit against him in the past.

Back in September 2022, Favre was named in a scandal about the alleged misuse of welfare funds in Mississippi, including five million for a volleyball facility at the Univerisity of Southern Mississippi. The following year, the NFL Hall of Famer filed a lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe, who discussed the case alongside his former co-host Skip Bayless, who corrected him after he suggested Favre "stole money from people that really needed that money." The case was dismissed in October 2023, a decision he appealed. On Monday, Sept. 16, the appeal was denied.

On the latest episode of Nightcap, Sharpe responded to the dismissal and voiced his relief that the saga was over.

"I won my appeal... He said I defamed him," shared Sharpe. "They said, 'Mr. Sharpe offered strong opinions based on things that were reported as facts.' And... That's not defamation. Look, there's a chance he tries to throw a Hail Mary and take it to the Supreme Court, who knows? But I was never going to back down."

He continued, "[If] I'm wrong, I'm wrong, I don't believe I defamed Brett Favre. I believe I offered a very strong opinion on what was reported." He maintained that all that he did was report on what was relayed to him from an article about the scandal, and he never defamed Favre even if he was inaccurate.

"I was never going to apologize, because I don't believe I did anything wrong," he continued, referring to how Favre demanded an apology before filing the lawsuit. "If I say something and somebody like, okay, Meg Thee Stallion, she took what I said... It hurt her. Okay, I ain't got no problem. 'Meg, I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention.' Intent don't matter, because you were equally as offended, even though that wasn't my intention. ... I don't believe I defamed Brett, I don't I was offering a strong opinion on what was being reported."

The case was reported on by a variety of outlets, something his co-host Chad Johnson brought up. "Why was he just solely focused on you?" he asked, to which Sharpe replied, "You know why, but it is what it is." Regardless, he said that he "hopes" the whole saga is over and he "wishes Brett nothing but the best."

Kevin Hart Says He Regrets Engaging in Katt Williams Feud: 'I Should Never Address Him, at All'

Shannon Sharpe Drops New 'Michelle' Merch Inspired By Viral IG Live

Cam'ron Parodies Shannon Sharpe's Accidental Intimate Instagram Stream: ‘Watch the Teeth’

Per Reuters, the ruling in favor of Sharpe found that he did not defame Favre. “Sharpe's statements were his ‘strongly stated’ opinions,” the 5th Circuit said. “Sharpe had a right to characterize those publicly known facts caustically and unfairly.”