The NFL didn’t find evidence to support claims that kicker Brandon McManus sexually assaulted two female flight attendants on Jacksonville’s team flight to London in 2023.
“There was insufficient evidence to support a finding that a violation of the personal conduct policy occurred,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement.
Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the two women, told ESPN he was confused by the NFL’s conclusion.
“We are still working to schedule a meeting between the NFL’s investigators and our clients,” Buzbee said in a statement to ESPN. “The NFL hasn’t yet spoken with our clients so I’m a bit confused as to why anyone could conclude that at this point.”
A person familiar with the process told The Associated Press that Buzbee’s office didn’t respond to multiple attempts made by the league to set up those interviews. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, said the league reached out via email and phone after an initial lawsuit was filed by the women and throughout the summer.
The league considers the case closed. It could be reopened if new evidence emerged.
The women allege in court documents, initially filed in late May under the pseudonyms Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II, that McManus tried to kiss one of them and rubbed up against both while they were trying to perform their work responsibilities during the Sept. 28, 2023, trans-Atlantic flight. The team was on its way to play a pair of games in England.
The women are seeking more than $1 million in damages.
McManus, who spent his first nine seasons in Denver and last year with the Jaguars, signed a one-year contract with Washington as a free agent in March. The Commanders released him in early June, shortly after the initial lawsuit was filed, and the 33-year-old remains a free agent. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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