Sexual assault lawsuit against ex-Jags kicker Brandon McManus dismissed

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A district judge in Florida has dismissed two women's lawsuit against former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars. The suit accused McManus of sexually harassing them during the team's overseas trip to London in 2023, according to court documents obtained by ESPN.

Judge Michael S. Sharrit granted a motion from McManus's attorney on Tuesday, ruling that under Florida law, the two women's use of the pseudonyms Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II did not meet the “exceptional circumstances” criteria needed to justify the parties' anonymity. Sharrit also wrote that “fairness requires that plaintiffs be willing to publicly stand behind their allegations, just as defendant McManus must openly refute them.”

The ruling gives the two women 10 days to file an amended complaint using their real names. The women's lawyer says they will do so.

“Most defendants in sexual assault cases file these types of motions with the belief that victims will not go forward if they are forced to publicly reveal their names,” Tony Buzbee said in a statement to ESPN. “We have been anticipating this ruling. To be clear, these women have no intention of running away and hiding and will immediately comply with the court's order. We look forward to continuing to prosecute this important case.”

Sharrit's order also states that the two women's claims that they would face physical violence if their names were made public are “largely speculative” and that there is “no evidence to suggest that Jane Doe I or Jane Doe II would face any specific or imminent threat of violence or physical harm if they were required to publicly represent their claims in court.”

“We are very pleased with the court's decision in connection with Mr. McManus' motion to dismiss these baseless allegations,” McManus' attorney Brett Gallaway said in a statement Tuesday. “We look forward to him returning to the NFL field as soon as possible.”

The Jaguars said they would not comment on the judge's ruling.

The two women filed a lawsuit in Duval County Civil Court on May 28 accusing McManus of sexually harassing them on the team's charter flight during the team's overseas trip to London in 2023. The lawsuit accused McManus of rubbing and grinding against them and the Jaguars of failing to supervise McManus and create a safe environment for team personnel. They sought over $1 million and demanded a jury trial.

According to the lawsuit, the two women worked as flight attendants on the Jaguars' Sept. 28, 2023 charter flight from Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, and they claim the flight “quickly turned into a party” as McManus and several other players disregarded the flight attendants' privacy, flight safety and federal law. The lawsuit also alleges that McManus recruited three other flight attendants for the party and handed out $100 bills to encourage them to drink and dance inappropriately for him.

Doe I accuses McManus of attempting to kiss her while she was seated during a period of turbulence and of rubbing himself against her twice while she was serving the flight's two meals, according to the lawsuit. Doe I claims that during the first attack, she looked into the eyes of another Jaguars player, who she says was embarrassed by McManus' behavior.

Doe II claims McManus rubbed up against her as she served the second meal of the flight. According to the lawsuit, Doe II confronted McManus, who “grinned and walked away.” The lawsuit claims Doe II stayed on the second floor of the plane on the team's Oct. 8 flight from London to Jacksonville to avoid McManus.

The lawsuit states that this was the first Jaguars charter flight the two women had worked on and that they had experienced severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation. They had been removed from the core crew of Jaguars charter flights, something they had worked hard for, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that the Jaguars committed gross negligence by failing to properly hire McManus, failing to educate him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight crew, failing to supervise him during flights, failing to implement policies and procedures to protect flight crews from sexual misconduct by their employees, and failing to enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward inappropriate conduct.

McManus signed with the Jaguars on May 5, 2023, after being released by the Denver Broncos, which gave him a one-year contract worth $2 million. McManus converted 30 of his 37 field goal attempts and all 35 of his extra point attempts last season, but the team did not re-sign him and he signed with the Washington Commanders on March 14.