Ex-Jaguars Kicker Brandon McManus Accused of Sexual Assault After Alleged Incident with 2 Women on Team Flight

Two women have filed a lawsuit against the Jacksonville Jaguars and former kicker Brandon McManus over an alleged incident that reportedly took place on a team flight to London in Sept. 2023, ESPN reported.

Court documents obtained by the outlet said that the two women, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II, filed the suit on May 24 in Duval County Circuit Civil Court accusing McManus, 32, of "rubbing himself against" and "grinding against" the women during the flight.

The lawsuit accuses the Jaguars organization of "failing to supervise" the kicker and "failing to create a safe environment for staff serving the team," according to the outlet.

The women are seeking more than $1 million and are requesting a jury trial.

According to ESPN, the women were employed as charter flight attendants for Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings at the time of the incident. The women allege that the team flight "quickly turned into a party" and McManus, as well as several other players, allegedly disregarded the flight attendants' personal space as well as air travel safety and federal law during the flight.

The lawsuit claims that McManus, who will play for the Washington Commanders this upcoming season, attempted to get three other flight attendants to drink alcohol and dance inappropriately for him by passing out $100 bills, ESPN reported.

Jane Doe I alleges that McManus attempted to kiss her while she was seated as the plane experienced turbulence, according to ESPN, and later made two attempts to "grind" on her as she was serving the in-flight meals.

Jane Doe II claims that she confronted the NFL kicker after he was inappropriately touching her and she claims McManus "smirked and walked away."

In a statement to ESPN on May 27, McManus' attorney, Brett R. Gallaway, said the allegations are "absolutely fictitious" and part of an "extortion attempt" against his client. "These are absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false allegations made as part of a campaign to defame and disparage a talented and well-respected NFL player," the statement said.

Gallaway added, "We intend to aggressively defend Brandon's rights and integrity and clear his name by showing what these claims truly are — a -

Vera Wang, 74, Wears a Bridal-White Swim,...

n extortion attempt," per ESPN.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On May 28, Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the two women, issued a statement on social media claiming that he made an attempt to resolve the matter with McManus' legal team outside of court before the filing on Friday.

"For those who have inquired, The Buzbee Law Firm is lead counsel for the two women who brought this case. We filed the case on Friday, but before that filing we attempted, without success, to resolve this matter without the need for litigation," Buzbee wrote.

The attorney claimed his team's efforts for resolution "were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity."

Buzbee's statement continued, "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. It’s a shame that this type of conduct still occurs. It happens far too often. These women were simply trying to do their jobs!"

On May 27, the Jaguars organization said they were aware of the claims in a statement issued to ESPN. "We're aware of the complaint, and we acknowledge the significance of the claims. As we continue to look into the matter, 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 statement read.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Jaguars for further comment.

McManus was not re-signed by the Jaguars for the upcoming NFL season. On March 14, the kicker signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders, per ESPN, who have also been made aware of the allegations against McManus.

"Earlier today, we were made aware of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter," the Commanders said in a statement to ESPN. "We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon's representation, and will reserve further comment at this time."

Related Articles

Follow Us

What the Pentagon Has Learned? Are UFOs ,...