2 women sue Washington Commanders kicker Brandon McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars for alleged sexual assault

Two women are suing kicker Brandon McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars, alleging McManus sexually assaulted them during the team's overseas 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 evening in Duval County Circuit Civil Court — accuse McManus of rubbing up against them and rubbing up against them. They also accuse the Jaguars of failing to supervise McManus and failing to create a safe environment for team personnel.

They are seeking more than $1 million and demanding a jury trial.

“These are absolutely fictitious and blatantly 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 press release Monday evening. “We intend to aggressively defend Brandon's rights and integrity and clear his name by exposing what these claims really are: an extortion attempt.”

The Jaguars also acknowledged the lawsuit in a statement Monday evening.

“We are aware of the complaint and recognize the importance of the claims,” the team said. “As we continue to study the matter, it is worth emphasizing that we insist on an organization built by people who represent our community and our 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.

“Earlier today, we were informed of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are investigating this matter,” commanders said in a statement. “We are in communication with the League office and Brandon 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 September 28, 2023. They claim the flight “quickly turned into a party” as McManus and several Other players failed to consider flight attendants' personal space, air travel security and federal law. The lawsuit also claims McManus recruited three other flight attendants to the party and handed out $100 bills to encourage them to drink and dance in ways inappropriate for him.

Doe I accuses McManus of trying to kiss her while she was seated during turbulence and of rubbing against her twice while she was serving the flight's two meal services, according to the trial. Doe I alleges that during the first assault, she made eye contact with another Jaguars player, who she said looked ashamed of McManus' behavior.

Doe II alleges that McManus rubbed himself against 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 stayed in the plane's second floor to avoid McManus during the team's Oct. 8 flight from London to Jacksonville.

The lawsuit says the September flight was the first Jaguar charter flight that both women had worked on, and that they experienced severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation. They were removed from the core crew that operates Jaguar's charter flights, something they worked hard to achieve, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that the Jaguars committed gross negligence by failing to properly hire McManus, train him on inappropriate and sexual contact with flight attendants, supervise him during the flight, adopt policies and procedures for protect flight attendants from employee sexual misconduct and apply a zero. -tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior.

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 goal attempts and 35 extra point attempts last season.

ESPN's John Keim contributed to this report.