Brandon McManus sexual assault case gets burdensome for Jaguars with presence of alcohol on flight: Report

Former Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus, one of the few members of Super Bowl 50 still playing in the NFL, finds himself in hot water amid allegations of sexual assault. The accusations stem from a complaint made by a woman on a team flight in which McManus allegedly "grinded" on her.

The filed complaint mentions another offense that could brew additional trouble for the kicker, as it claims that alcohol was present on the flight. According to NBC Sports, league rules prohibit players from bringing alcohol on team flights.

In the complaint, it was alleged that a "party" atmosphere broke out on the plane. Some flight attendants were encouraged to drink and dance. Multiple flight attendants no longer work for the company.

The NBC report claimed a memo was sent out to all teams in response to an incident in 2022 with alcohol on a flight.

Brandon McManus' lawyer issues response to allegations

Brandon McManus at Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus's lawyer, Brett R. Gallaway, issued a statement one day after the accusations.

"These are absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false allegations made as part of a campaign to defame and disparage a talented and well-respected NFL player.

"We intend to aggressively defend Brandon's rights and integrity and clear his name by showing what these claims truly are -- an extortion attempt," he said.

The lawyer called the allegations "fictitious" and "extortion" of the kicker. The word "extortion" has raised eyebrows for NFL analysts such as Mike Florio, reasoning that extortion implies that the kicker was aware of the allegations before they were made public.

Until a court of law examines the facts, a reasonable standard of doubt remains left to remove. In the United States, innocent until proven guilty remains the standard of justice.

No matter the size and severity of the accusations, a long wait will likely begin. For context, Deshaun Watson's first sexual assault accusations began after the 2020 season, and the 2023 season was the first season in which his attendance was unaffected directly by the ordeal.

Watson was subjected to roughly two dozen accusations, some wrapping up earlier and others later. If McManus' accusation takes as long as Watson's longest case, that timeline would put him on a track that could run into 2026.