Two women are suing kicker Brandon McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars, alleging that McManus sexually assaulted them during the team's flight to London last year, according to court documents obtained by ESPN.
The two women, identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II in the lawsuit filed Friday night in Duval County Circuit Civil Court, accuse McManus of rubbing himself against them. They also accuse the Jaguars of failing to supervise McManus and failing to create a safe environment for the team's staff.
They are asking for more than a million dollars and demanding a jury trial.
“These are absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false allegations made as part of a campaign to defame and disparage a talented and respected NFL player,” McManus' attorney, Brett R. Gallaway, said in a statement Monday night. “We intend to aggressively defend Brandon's rights and integrity and clear his name by showing what these claims really are: an extortion attempt.”
The Jaguars also acknowledged the lawsuit in a statement Monday night.
“We are aware of the complaint and recognize the importance of the claims,” the team said. “As we continue to investigate the matter, it is worth emphasizing that we insist on an organization built by people who represent our community and game with the highest character and class.”
The Jaguars did not re-sign McManus this offseason; He signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Washington Commanders on March 14.
“Today we learned of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are investigating the matter,” the commanders said in a statement. “We have been in communication with the league office and Brandon's representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.”
According to the lawsuit, the two women worked as flight attendants on the Jaguars' Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight on Sept. 28, 2023. They allege the flight “quickly turned into a party” as McManus and several other players They ignored flight attendants' personal space, air travel safety, and federal law. The lawsuit also claims that McManus recruited three other flight attendants for the party and handed out $100 bills to encourage them to drink and dance in a manner inappropriate for him.
Doe I accuses McManus of trying to kiss her while she was seated during a turbulence session and of rubbing against her twice while serving both in-flight meal services, according to the lawsuit. Doe I alleges that during the first assault she made eye contact with another Jaguars player, who she claimed seemed embarrassed by McManus' behavior.
Doe II alleges that McManus became angry at her while she was serving the second meal service of the flight. According to the lawsuit, Doe II confronted McManus, who “smiled and walked away.” The lawsuit says Doe II remained on the second floor of the plane to avoid McManus on the team's flight from London to Jacksonville on Oct. 8.
The lawsuit says the September flight was the first Jaguars charter flight the two women worked on and that they experienced severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation. They have been removed from the core crew that staff Jaguars charter flights, something they worked hard for, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit alleges that the Jaguars committed gross negligence by failing to properly hire McManus, training him about sexual and inappropriate contact with flight personnel, failing to supervise him on the flight, and failing to adopt policies and procedures to protect flight personnel from the conduct. inappropriate sexual behavior by employees and not enforcing a zero. -Tolerance policy against inappropriate behavior.
McManus signed with the Jaguars on May 5, 2023, after he was released by the Denver Broncos. The Jaguars gave him a one-year contract worth $2 million, and he made 30 of 37 field goal attempts and all 35 extra point attempts last season.
ESPN's John Keim contributed to this report.
