Washington Commanders remove Brandon McManus from their roster following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Commanders' brief online post about freeing McManus didn't explain why the squad dropped him. CNN's attempts to contact McManus' representatives have been unsuccessful.
A lawsuit mentioned in Florida's Duval County filed at the end of last month has two women claiming McManus, 32, assaulted them on a Jacksonville Jaguars team-sponsored flight to London on September 28. McManus was a Jaguars player at the time, but is now with the Commanders.
Both women say that while food was being served during the flight, McManus rubbed his erect penis against them through his clothes. The lawsuit also accuses McManus of attempting to kiss one of the women earlier in the flight.
McManus, who signed a contract to join the Commanders this offseason, denies the claims.
"To clarify, these are completely fabricated and provably untrue allegations made as part of an effort to slander and discredit a talented NFL player," McManus' lawyer Brett R. Gallaway told CNN last week. "We're going to defend Brandon's rights and honor by proving what these charges really are – an attempt to extort money."
The Jaguars organization, which was also named in the lawsuit, stated in a press release to CNN on Wednesday: "We're aware of the complaint, and we understand the gravity of the claims.
"Investigation of the situation continues, but we want to reiterate our dedication to building a team made up of people that represent our community and sports with the highest morals and ethics."
Jacksonville is accused of "gross negligence," among others, in its failure to provide a secure work environment for flight staff.
The Commanders found out about the civil lawsuit on May 27 and were investigating the matter, a Commanders representative said Tuesday.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the two flight attendants, said on social media last week that the women and their legal team attempted to "resolve this matter without having to resort to court action" prior to filing the lawsuit.
"Our attempts at settlement were met with arrogance, ignorance and stupidity," the attorney said.
The women are claiming more than $1 million in damages against the NFL player and the Jaguars, and have requested a jury trial.
"The allegations in this lawsuit are very serious," Buzbee said. "We confirmed the details before filing the cases. We'll prosecute this case with our usual intensity. It's unfortunate that these types of incidents still occur. It happens too often."
The Jaguars traveled to the London region for two games in October.
McManus spent nine years with the Denver Broncos before his one-year stint with the Jaguars.
CNN's Kevin Dotson helped with this report.
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The Commanders' statement regarding McManus' removal from the roster did not delve into the reasons behind it. The lawsuit against McManus in Duval County, Florida, accuses him of sexually assaulting two women during a team-sponsored flight.
