NFL Hall of Famer and former Broncos running back Terrell Davis said Monday that he was wrongfully handcuffed and removed from a plane following an incident with a flight attendant.
Davis, 51, said in an Instagram post that he was falsely accused of punching a flight attendant while on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Orange County with his wife and three children on Saturday. Davis said that when the flight attendant came to serve passengers, his son asked for ice.
“The flight attendant either did not hear or ignored his request and walked past our row,” Davis wrote. “I calmly reached back and tapped him on the arm, reminding him to ask for another round of ice for my son. His response and what followed will amaze us all.”
Davis claims the flight attendant yelled, “Don’t hit me!” The former running back claims other passengers also witnessed the incident. Davis said he continued on the flight as normal.
Davis said he had no interaction with flight attendants for the remainder of the flight.
“Upon landing in Orange County, the pilot instructed all passengers to remain seated while six FBI and law enforcement agents boarded the plane,” he wrote. “The FBI agents and local authorities proceeded directly to my seat and immediately handcuffed me, without explanation, in front of my wife and children, while all passengers looked on in silence.”
“I felt, and still feel, humiliated, ashamed, helpless and angry,” Davis said.
Davis said that during questioning, authorities concluded that “the flight attendant’s accusations were inaccurate.” (RELATED: Ravens tight end Mark Andrews saves woman’s life on plane).
The former Broncos star claims he hasn’t heard from United since the incident, which he called “an egregious example of mistreatment and deplorable conduct by United Airlines,” adding that his legal team will be in contact with the major airline.
“I demand a thorough and proper investigation into the flight attendant who blatantly lied and caused undue harm to me and my family,” he wrote.
Davis played for the Broncos from 1995 to 2001. according to ESPN. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017 and won two Super Bowl championships with the Broncos.
