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Michael DiRocco, ESPN Employees AuthorSep 30, 2024, 04:03 PM ET
Close- Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He beforehand lined the College of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Occasions-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville College and is a a number of APSE award winner. You possibly can comply with DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The NFL’s investigation into allegations that former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus sexually assaulted two ladies on the group’s abroad flight to London in 2023 discovered there was inadequate proof that McManus violated the league’s private conduct coverage, a league supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The investigation — which included interviews with 30 folks — concluded final Friday and the NFL believes the case is closed from any potential self-discipline, the league supply instructed Schefter.
Nonetheless, Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the 2 ladies, stated he was confused in regards to the NFL’s conclusion.
“We’re nonetheless working to schedule a gathering between the NFL’s investigators and our shoppers,” Buzbee stated in an announcement to ESPN. “The NFL hasn’t but spoken with our shoppers so I am a bit confused as to why anybody might conclude that at this level.”
A spokesperson for Brett Gallaway, the lawyer representing McManus, instructed ESPN that Gallaway wouldn’t have an announcement at the moment.
Daisy Torres and Nicole Anderson, who had been working as flight attendants on the chartered airline the Jaguars used for his or her journey to London final September, filed a lawsuit on Could 28 accusing McManus of sexually assaulting them on the journey. The 2 ladies didn’t initially use their names — they had been known as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II — and a Duval County Circuit Civil Courtroom choose in Florida dismissed the lawsuit on Sept. 3 by ruling that, per Florida legislation, the usage of pseudonyms didn’t meet the “distinctive case” standards required to warrant anonymity.
Torres and Anderson refiled their lawsuit on Sept. 6 with their names.
The lawsuit accuses McManus of getting drunk and grinding towards them a number of occasions and of attempting to kiss Torres. It additionally accused the Jaguars of failing to oversee McManus, failing to create a protected atmosphere for employees serving the group, ignoring NFL guidelines relating to alcohol and medicines on group flights and telling the flight attendants to disregard FAA guidelines.
Torres and Anderson are searching for greater than $1 million and demanding a jury trial.
Gallaway filed a request for admissions on Sept. 5, which asks the opposite social gathering to both deny or admit to sure actions, statements or paperwork. In that submitting, Gallaway claims the ladies made sexually specific social media posts, used a racial slur, had earlier sexual relationships with NFL gamers whereas working, had an dependancy to medication and drank on the job, amongst different issues.
The Jaguars signed McManus to a one-year deal price $2 million in Could 2023 and didn’t re-sign him when it expired. McManus signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Washington Commanders through the offseason however the group reduce him 5 days after the lawsuit was initially filed. A league supply additionally instructed Schefter that a number of groups have been monitoring the McManus’ state of affairs and he might discover a new dwelling quickly.