The Washington Commanders have released kicker Brandon McManus, with the team announcing the move on its official X account on June 2.
McManus’ release came just days after news broke that McManus was being accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed by two women over his alleged actions on overseas flight to London last year while he was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McManus was the only kicker on the Commanders roster at the time of his release. He was signed to a 1-year, $3.6 million contract with the Commanders on March 14. In 2023, while playing on a 1-year, $2 million contract with the Jaguars, he made 30 of 37 field-goal attempts and all 35 of his extra point attempts last season.
Alleged Incident Took Place on Overseas Flight
According to an article by ESPN’s Michael Dirocco, McManus is accused of “rubbing himself against(the women) and grinding against them,” on the flight and the women are seeking “in excess of $1 million and demanding a jury trial.”
The two women, who both worked for the airline, are identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II in the lawsuit.
From Dirocco: “According to the lawsuit, the two women worked as flight attendants on the Jaguars’ Sept. 28, 2023, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight and they allege the flight ‘quickly turned into a party’ as McManus and several other players disregarded the flight attendants’ personal space, air travel safety, and federal law. The lawsuit also claims that McManus recruited three other flight attendants to the party and passed out $100 bills to encourage them to drink and dance inappropriately for him.”
According to the ESPN report, the lawsuit alleges McManus tried to kiss Doe I “while she was seated during a session of turbulence and twice grinding up against her while she was serving the flight’s two meal services.”
Doe II alleges that McManus “grinded up against her while she was serving the flight’s second meal service,” and when confronted, the kicker “smirked and walked away.” Following this, Doe II remained in the second story of the aircraft to avoid the McManus on the team’s return flight to Jacksonville on Oct. 8 following a 25-20 win over the Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
From Dirocco: “The lawsuit alleges the Jaguars committed gross negligence by failing to properly hire McManus, train him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight staff, supervise him on the flight, adopt policies and procedures to protect flight staff from sexual misconduct by its employees, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior.”
McManus Was Super Bowl Hero With Broncos
In 2015, McManus was one of the heroes in the Denver Broncos’ 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, going 3-for-3 on field goals and hitting his only extra-point attempt — McManus set a Broncos’ franchise record with 10 field goals that postseason.
The Commanders’ full-time kicker in 2023 was Joey Slye, who made 19-of-24 field-goal attempts, including a franchise-record 61-yard field goal.
Slye signed with the Jaguars in March 2024 but was released in April and signed with the New England Patriots in May.
