Brandon McManus’ legal team has vehemently denied claims that the NFL star sexually assaulted two women during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Two women are suing the Jaguars and its former kicker after alleging that he sexually assaulted them on a team flight to London last year.
ESPN report that the women – who have not been identified – are seeking in excess of $1million and are demanding a jury trial. They allege McManus, 32, rubbed himself against them and grinded against them, and also claim that Jacksonville failed to supervise their player or create a safe environment for staff serving the team.
Yet in a furious statement on Monday, the now-Washington Commanders player’s lawyers branded the allegations ‘fictitious’ and ‘false’, while claiming they are simply an ‘extortion attempt’ against their client.
‘To be clear, 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,’ McManus’ legal team Brett R. Gallaway, Partner, McLaughlin & Stern said in a statement.
‘We intend to aggressively defend Brandon’s rights and integrity and clear his name by showing what these claims truly are – an extortion attempt.’
The Jags played two games in London in the 2023 season, against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley on October 1, and then against the Buffalo Bills at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 8. McManus played in both.
The kicker was not re-signed by the team at the end of last season and has since signed a one-year, $3.6million contract with the Washington Commanders.
In a statement on Monday, a Commanders spokesperson said: ‘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.
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‘We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.’
The Jaguars initially refused to comment when approached by the media, before saying in a statement of their own: ‘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.’
According to the lawsuit, the Jaguars flew to the UK on an Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight on September 28, 2023, and the two women were working as flight attendants for the team.
They allege the journey ‘quickly turned into a party’ and that McManus and several other players ‘disregarded the flight attendants’ personal space, air travel safety, and federal law’.
One of the women – identified only as Jane Doe I – accuses McManus of trying to kiss her while she was seated during a period of turbulence and twice grinding up against her while she was serving meals to passengers.
The second woman – Jane Doe II – claims that McManus grinded against her while she was serving the second of the flight’s two meals, before confronting him – only for him to ‘smirk and walk away’.
Doe I also claims that during the first alleged assault, she made eye contact with a different Jaguars player, who ‘looked ashamed of McManus’ behavior’.
Doe II also alleges that when the team returned back to the USA from London after the double-header of games, she ‘remained on the second story of the aircraft to avoid McManus’.
The lawsuit says that the two women have experienced severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation.
Last season, the NFL star earned $2m in his one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, following his release by the Denver Broncos.
He made 30 of his 37 field-goal attempts in 2023, and all 35 of his extra-point attempts.