The Washington Commanders have cut ties with kicker Brandon McManus just a week after he was hit with a lawsuit by two women accusing him of sexual assault during a flight to London last year. Something he denies.
The incident is alleged to have taken place on a charter flight to London last year when McManus was part of the Jacksonville Jaguars team, which was heading to the UK for a game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The accusers, who were working as flight attendants on the September 28 flight, have filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages. One alleges that McManus attempted to kiss her, while both claimed that McManus ground against them.
After a brief stint with the Jaguars and several seasons with the Denver Broncos, McManus joined the Commanders in March. Both the Commanders and Jaguars are investigating the allegations.
Denying all accusations, McManus and his lawyer Brett R. Gallaway have voiced their disappointment over his release from the Commanders before getting a chance to clear his name.
"We reiterate that the allegations against Brandon are and remain absolutely false and importantly, are contradicted by indisputable evidence and the accusers' own prior inconsistent statements and omissions," stated Gallaway.
"While we are disappointed with the team's decision to release Brandon before he had the opportunity to defend against these fabricated claims, we will aggressively defend and clear Brandon's name and reputation through the legal process. We intend to defeat these claims, fully exonerate him and look forward to seeing him back on the field where he belongs."
The Commanders had previously signed McManus as their sole kicker on a one-year contract. While his sudden exit leaves a gap in Washington's preparations for 2024, there is still ample time to fill before the onset of Week 1 in September.
The Commanders' new head coach Dan Quinn steps into his role after the departure of Ron Rivera. Under Rivera's leadership in 2023, Washington's dismal 4-13 finish saw them become one of the NFL's bottom-tier teams, landing last in the NFC East.
This performance did enable Washington to secure the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, selecting Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner from LSU.
At just 23 years old, Daniels shines a light of hope on the Commanders' future quarterback prospects in an area that the franchise has historically struggled in.
