Two women have sued Brandon McManus, a former kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, for sexual assault.
Two women have sued Brandon McManus, a former kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, for sexual assault.
McManus and his teammates flew from Florida to London in September of 2023 for an NFL game during the time of the alleged incidents. While the details of the lawsuit are not yet available on the local county’s public records database, ESPN obtained key information regarding McManus’s behavior.
The Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight became unmanageable after takeoff, according to two female flight attendants. McManus and his teammates “disregarded [their] personal space, air travel safety and federal law.” Both women say that the NFL player “rubbed himself… and grinded” against them.
During a particularly turbulent portion of the flight, McManus allegedly attempted to kiss one of the attendants as she was seated. The woman says that she made eye contact with another Jaguars player who looked ashamed of McManus's behavior.
The lawsuit also claims that McManus distributed $100 bills to encourage multiple flight attendants to drink and dance inappropriately for him. When confronted regarding his conduct, he "smirked and walked away."
Both of the women involved in the lawsuit are asking for over $1 million and a jury trial. They allege that the Jacksonville Jaguars committed gross negligence in their failure to oversee the behavior of one of their players.
The September flight was the attendants’ first Jaguars charter flight and they have since experienced “severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation.” Additionally, they have since been removed from the primary crew that staffs Jaguars charter flights.
McManus's attorney, Brett Gallaway, dismissed the allegations as “absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false.” He believes that the claims were made to "defame and disparage a talented and well-respected NFL player.”
“It bears emphasizing that we insist on an organization built by people who represent our community and game with the highest character and class,” the Jaguars said in a statement.
The attorney for the plaintiffs, Tony Buzbee, said on Tuesday that an attempt to settle the case was made before the lawsuit was filed. "Our efforts at resolution were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity, strikingly similar to how Deshaun Watson's team responded when we tried to resolve those cases pre-filing. The allegations made in this lawsuit are very serious. We made sure to fully vet them and speak to witnesses before even taking the cases. We will pursue this case with the same tenacity we are known for," he wrote in an Instagram post.
Brandon McManus left the Jaguars after he signed a $3.6 million deal with the Washington Commanders in March. A spokesperson for the Commanders confirmed that the team was made aware of the lawsuit: “We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter… We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time."
Authors: Andy Goldwasser and Alexis Kabat
