Shannon Sharpe opened up Wednesday evening on his ESPN ousting ... and he sure didn't sound like a guy who's all that torn up over the split.
The NFL legend said on his "Nightcap" podcast he's "at peace with" the network's decision to give him the axe following his settlement with his rape accuser ... explaining, "They did what they felt they needed to do."
He did, though, say he wished ESPN had waited until next week to leak the news -- so his brother, Sterling, could get all of the attention this weekend for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony.