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Former Jacksonville Jaguars place kicker Brandon McManus just received a massive legal update on his sexual assault case. On Tuesday, a circuit court judge in Florida dismissed a lawsuit from two women who accused McManus of sexually assaulting them during the team's London trip in 2023. The very serious allegations have caused the Washington Commanders to release McManus last June, after signing him to a one-year deal in free agency.
Granting a motion from McManus' attorney, Judge Michael S. Sharrit ruled that the two women's use of pseudonyms didn't meet the criteria for an “exceptional case” that warranted anonymity, as reported by Michael DiRocco on ESPN.com. Moreover, the judge wrote that in the spirit of fairness, the women should “stand behind their charges publicly in the same way Defendant McManus must openly refute them.”
However, the attorney for the two women said that they will follow the ruling and file an amended complaint with proper identification within ten days.
“Most defendants in sexual assault cases file these types of motions thinking that the victim won't proceed if they have to publicly reveal their names,” Tony Buzbee said in a statement to ESPN. “To be clear, these women have no intention to run and hide, and will comply with the court's order in a timely fashion. We look forward to continuing to pursue this important case.”
The Jaguars' legal battle
On the other hand, McManus' attorney, Brett Gallaway, issued a statement in response to the ruling.
“We are very pleased with the court's order in connection with Mr. McManus' motion to dismiss these baseless allegations,” the statement read. “We look forward to him returning to the NFL field as soon as possible.”
Per reports, Jaguars were not going to release a statement on this new ruling on Brandon McManus' sexual assault case. As part of the lawsuit, details also surfaced that the Jaguars reportedly allowed alcohol on the flight to London, potentially landing them in hot water with the NFL. While McManus is no longer with the team, the incident happened during his tenure there in the 2023 season.
If the court finds that the team had allowed alcohol on the flight, the team could face severe punishment from the league. Likewise, the Jaguars would face public backlash as the women also accused the team of not creating a safe environment for the flight staff.
These allegations also mentioned the kicker rubbing and grinding up on the two women, and trying to kiss one of them while the plane experienced turbulence. Moreover, the women alleged McManus also tried to pay other flight attendants to dance inappropriately for him.
Brandon McManus signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars in 2023 after his release from the Denver Broncos. While he made 30 of his 37 field goal attempts in his lone season with the Jaguars, they didn't re-sign him.
