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Dr. Umar Johnson, a psychologist and social commentator, has weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding NFL Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe.
On April 29, 2025, the American Black psychologist and motivational speaker Dr. Umar Johnson was invited to an interview on The Art of Dialogue, where he discussed the alleged lawsuit filed against Sharpe.
During the interview, Dr. Umar went into detail and claimed that "Jane Doe", speculated to be Gabriella Zuniga, wanted a "baby" with the former footballer.
"So, first of all, she wanted a baby out of Shannon," Dr. Umar said.
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The statement came after the lawsuit was filed against NFL player Sharpe on Monday, April 21, 2025, in which a "Jane Doe" in her early twenties alleged that the former footballer had s*xually assaulted her during their two-year relationship.
Dr. Umar claims Shannon Sharpe's previous viral clip sparked the legal action
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Dr. Umar appeared on the music podcast The Art of Dialogue and shared his thoughts on the lawsuit filed against Shannon Sharpe.
During the interview, the motivational speaker suggested that Gabriella Zuniga believed former NFL player Shannon Sharpe had a genuine interest in her. He claimed that the Instagram Live scandal altered her perception, ultimately leading her to file a lawsuit alleging assault. He stated:
"Because for someboy dating a wealthy Black man and having a baby (with them), mean a financial insurance..."
He continued:
"She (Gabriella Zuniga) thought Shannon Sharpe was into her until the infamous Instagram live scandal happened, you remember that. When Shannon Sharpe was caught on tape b*nging on somebody on Instagram live."
Dr. Umar mentioned the Instagram Live scandal in question happened on September 11, 2024, when Sharpe unknowingly turned the Instagram Live on while having an intimate moment with a woman.
The live streaming had no visuals but an explicit audio could be heard between the two individuals. Upon realizing this, Sharpe first indicated on his Instagram story that his account was hacked.
However, later, in a podcast episode called Nightcap, he apologized for the incident and indicated that he had less knowledge about the technicalities of social media.
Furthermore, during the interview, Dr. Umar claimed that the former NFL player Shannon Sharpe purportedly "cheated" on Gabriella Zuniga, which made everything change in their relationship.
"The point is she was looking for a baby until Shannon cheated on her with the Instagram live scandal. Everything changed after the Instagram live, everything changed. She went from being a baby mama to the extortionist," Dr. Umar said.
Dr. Umar's claim that Gabriella Zuniga wanted to have a child with Shannon Sharpe stems from an alleged conversation released by Sharpe’s attorney.
In the leaked text messages, Zuniga reportedly pleaded with Sharpe to have a baby with her, expressing that if she were ever to become a mother, she would want it to be only with him.
According to USA Today, in the lawsuit filed in Clark County, Nevada, the accuser stated that she was assaulted twice while being in a relationship with Sharpe. Also, the documents revealed that the two met in a gym in Los Angeles and started dating each other. In addition to this, Zuniga is seeking $50 million in damages.
