Part 2/7:
Recently, Sharpe suggested that his decision to leave ESPN was voluntary. However, many—including fellow sports commentator Stephen A. Smith—disagree. Smith claimed that Sharpe’s exit was a forced move by the higher-ups at Disney, which owns ESPN. He stated that with allegations of misconduct surfacing, it was untenable for Disney to keep Sharpe on air. This insinuation challenges Sharpe’s narrative and throws into question the authenticity of his claims of stepping back from the network voluntarily.