The NFL's Washington Commanders announced Sunday that they had fired kicker Brandon McManus, days after a lawsuit was filed in which two women accused McManus of sexually assaulting them on a 2023 flight while he was with another team.
The Commanders' brief online announcement of McManus' firing did not provide any reason for his dismissal. CNN has reached out to McManus' representative for comment.
A native of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, McManus attended high school in Lansdale, Pennsylvania before playing at Temple University.
In a lawsuit filed late last month in Duval County, Florida, two women alleged that McManus, 32, a former member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, sexually assaulted them on a team charter flight to London on Sept. 28. The women were flight attendants on the flight, according to the lawsuit.
Both women claim that McManus would “rub” his erect penis against them while fully clothed during meal service and that he also tried to kiss one of the women on the flight, according to the lawsuit.
McManus, who signed with the Commanders this offseason, denied the allegations.
“To be clear, these are completely false and demonstrably false allegations made as part of a campaign to smear and disparage a talented and respected NFL player,” McManus' attorney, Brett R. Gallaway, told CNN last week. “We intend to vigorously defend Brandon's rights and integrity and restore his reputation by showing these allegations for what they truly are: an attempt at extortion.”
The Jaguars, the team that is the subject of the lawsuit, said in a statement to CNN on Wednesday, “We are aware of the complaint and recognize the importance of its allegations.”
“As we continue to investigate this matter, we need to emphasize that we stand by our organization, built by people who represent our community and our game with the utmost integrity and class.”
Jacksonville is accused of “gross negligence” among other charges, including failing to provide a safe working environment for flight staff.
The Commanders learned of the civil lawsuit on May 27, take the allegations seriously and are “investigating the matter,” a Commanders spokesman said Tuesday.
Tony Buzbee, an attorney representing the two flight attendants, said on social media last week that before filing the lawsuit, the women and their legal team had sought to “resolve this matter without the need for litigation.”
“Our efforts to reach a resolution have been met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity,” the lawyer said.
The women are seeking more than $1 million in damages from the NFL players and the Jaguars and are demanding a jury trial.
“The allegations made in this lawsuit are extremely serious,” Buzbee said. “We thoroughly investigated and spoke with witnesses before filing this lawsuit. We will pursue this case with the same tenacity we have always used. It is unfortunate that this type of behavior is still occurring. It happens all too often.”
The Jaguars flew to the London area for two games in October.
He played at Temple University from 2009-2012 before spending nine seasons with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl in 2016 before spending his lone season in Jacksonville.
McManus signed with the Jaguars on May 5, 2023 after being released by the Denver Broncos. The Jaguars gave him a one-year contract worth $2 million, and he made 30 of 37 field goals and all 35 of his extra points last season.
WPVI contributed to this report.
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