The Washington Commanders have decided to release kicker Brandon McManus after he was recently accused of sexual assault by two different flight attendants during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Commanders announced the move on Sunday evening. McManus is currently the only kicker on the Commanders' roster, so they'll have to bring in another to fill the role.
Washington signed McManus earlier this offseason to a one-year, $3.6 million deal to be their starting kicker in 2024. However, his future with the team was thrown in limbo after a lawsuit containing the troubling allegations was filed.
We have released K Brandon McManus
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 2, 2024
Here's more details on the allegations against McManus, which were said to occur on the Jaguars' flight from London last season, per ESPN's Michael DiRocco:
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 and grinding against them. They also accuse the Jaguars of failing to supervise McManus and failing to create a safe environment for staff serving the team.
The two women are seeking in excess of $1 million in damages and are also accusing the Jaguars of failing to create a safe environment for the staff serving the team. McManus has since denied the allegations through a statement from his attorney.
"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' attorney, Brett R. Gallaway, said. "We intend to aggressively defend Brandon's rights and integrity and clear his name by showing what these claims truly are -- an extortion attempt."
