CW: This story contains instances of sexual harassment.
on monday, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reports. Two women have accused current Commanders kicker Brandon McManus of sexual assault and are suing McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars for failing to create a safe environment on the team. The women are being represented by Tony Buzbee, who also represents women suing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
According to court documents obtained by ESPN, McManus is accused of inappropriate conduct toward two flight attendants on the Jaguars’ Atlas Air charter flights while he was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The flight attendants accused McManus and other Jaguars players of “creating an unsafe environment” and ignoring flight attendant personal space and aviation safety laws. McManus is accused of:
- He invited three other flight attendants to the party and gave them $100 to encourage drinking and inappropriate dancing.
- He attempted to kiss a flight attendant who was seated during a moment of turbulence and also pressed himself against her twice while serving food on the plane.
- The second flight attendant accuses McManus of rubbing himself against her before leaving, and when she confronted him about his behavior, McManus “grinned and walked away,” according to the documents.
The lawsuit also alleges that the Jaguars were grossly negligent in failing to properly hire McManus, failing to educate McManus about inappropriate sexual conduct with flight staff and failing to adopt policies to prevent in-flight sexual misconduct toward flight staff. The Jaguars released a statement Monday night. “We are aware of the complaints and recognize the gravity of the allegations,” the team said. “As we continue to investigate this matter, we must emphasize that we represent our community and represent an organization built by people who play with the utmost integrity and class.”
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after Jacksonville’s practice on Tuesday that he learned of the allegations through an ESPN article and called the news “disappointing.”
Doug Pederson talks about the Brandon McManus lawsuit, saying this was the first time he’d heard about the case. “The typical flight is a business trip.”
The reason for his release, in addition to money, was “performance.”
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— Mia O’Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) May 28, 2024
McManus did not re-sign with the Jaguars this offseason, instead signing a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders. He said: Regarding the lawsuit: “We were notified today of a civil lawsuit that was filed on May 24th against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are investigating the matter. We have been in contact with league office and Brandon’s representatives and will not be making any further comment at this time.”
The women are seeking more than $1 million in damages and have requested a jury trial.
