Tag: Brandon McManus

Commanders to bring in UFL standout kicker Jake Bates for a tryout

Jake Bates is visiting Washington.

When the Washington Commanders released veteran kicker Brandon McManus last week, fans immediately began clamoring for UFL kicker Jake Bates. However, with Bates’ UFL team in the playoffs, he was unable to sign last week.

The Michigan Panthers, for whom Bates kicked, lost over the weekend, meaning Bates was free to visit NFL teams. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, multiple NFL teams are lining up visits with Bates.

The Commanders are one of those teams, along with the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers, who have also requested to visit with Bates.

Washington signed kicker Ramiz Ahmed last week and hosted at least two other UFL kickers, Andre Szmyt and Matt McCrane, for tryouts. The Commanders begin their three-day mandatory minicamp Tuesday.

The Commanders will likely sign one of the kickers and keep two for a competition in training camp, which begins late next month.

Bates made a name for himself this spring when he kicked a 64-yard game-winner — the longest in UFL history — and had one game in which he made two kicks of over 60 yards. He was named to the All-UFL team last week.

Bates, 24, spent part of training camp with the Houston Texans in 2023.

Per ESPN’s John Keim, Bates’ visit is on Tuesday.

Commanders work out XFL kicker Andre Szmyt, others

The Commanders also brought in D.C. Defenders kicker Matt McCrane.

The Washington Commanders released veteran kicker Brandon McManus last week before their final week of Organized Training Activities (OTAs). McManus faced allegations of sexual assault from his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year.

Washington signed Ramiz Ahmed last week, giving the team a kicker ahead of its final week of OTAs. Ahmed, 29, kicked collegiately at Nevada and spent some time with the Bears and Packers. He never attempted a field goal or extra point in a game. Ahmed also spent time in the UFL this spring with the Birmingham Stallions.

Now, the Commanders are looking to give Ahmed some competition.

Washington brought in another former UFL kicker, Andre Szmyt, for a workout on Tuesday morning before it begins its three day mandatory minicamp.

Szmyt, 25, kicked collegiately at Syracuse, where he won the Lou Groza Award and was a unanimous All-American in 2018. He signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but did not make the roster. Szmyt spent this spring with the St. Louis Battlehawks, where he was excellent, making 19 of his 21 field goal attempts. He had a long of 61 yards and was four of five from 50 yards and beyond.

Washington also brought in D.C. Defenders kicker Matt McCrane for a workout.

McCrane spent the past two seasons with the Defenders and has quietly been outstanding. He played college football at Kansas State and has spent time with the Cardinals, Raiders, Steelers, Browns and Eagles, mostly on the offseason rosters. He has attempted 12 NFL field goals, making eight of them.

In a game this April, McCrane hit field goals from 58, 54 and 49 yards in a Defenders’ win.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn talks allegations against former kicker Brandon McManus

Quinn discussed McManus and the new kicker.

The Washington Commanders had their first open OTA practice in two weeks, the first time since they released veteran kicker Brandon McManus. News of a lawsuit against McManus, accusing him of sexual assault in an incident that occurred in September while he played for the Jaguars, emerged on Monday, May 27.

The Commanders released a short statement after the news broke. Earlier this week, Washington made the expected move to release McManus.

Here’s Washington’s initial statement on the allegations against McManus:

Earlier today, we were made aware of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter. We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn spoke to the media and, no surprise, the McManus was a primary topic of conversation.

“We did release Brandon,” Quinn said Wednesday. “I found out some of the information on May 27th. And then we released him on June 3rd.

No surprise, Quinn didn’t reveal much because it remains an ongoing investigation regarding the allegations against McManus.

However, he did reveal a bit about what he told his team.

“This is under investigation,” Quinn said via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “So I can’t comment a lot. But what I can say is a little bit about what I told the team. And I think like most things, not necessarily related to this but as a lesson, let’s make sure you always let somebody know and tell. There’s usually a whole bunch of people that want to be part of the solution. And so when you have that, whether that’s for this team or any team or a parent, that kind of communication allows you to come up with some solutions.”

Someone asked about the franchise’s history with similar allegations played a part in Washington releasing McManus and wisely Quinn did not comment.

McManus’ replacement, Ramiz Ahmed, was on the field Wednesday. Quinn didn’t say Ahmed would be Washington’s kicker in 2024, stressing he would be competing for the role. This is not different than anything he has said about every other position: Everyone will be competing. So, it sounds like the Commanders will likely bring in another kicker to compete with Ahmed this summer.

Commanders sign kicker Ramiz Ahmed

Ahmed spent the spring with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

The Washington Commanders returned for their final week of Offseason Training Activities on Tuesday without a kicker. General manager Adam Peters rectified that by signing Ramiz Ahmed, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

Ahmed, 28, spent much of this spring with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions. Ahmed appeared in six games for Birmingham, making 10 of 13 field-goal attempts. Ahmed was perfect 40 yards out or less and four of seven from everything over 40 yards.

Ahmed played collegiately at Nevada and signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He was waived that summer. In 2022, Ahmed signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL where he kicked a 61-yard field goal, which was the longest in that league’s history at the time.

Ahmed received another chance at the NFL with the Packers in the summer of 2022. He was back and forth between the active roster and practice squad. He appeared in one game, where he handled kickoffs. Three of his six kicks went for touchbacks. Ahmed is known for his strong leg.

Even after signing Ahmed, the Commanders will likely add another kicker sometime before training camp. Could Washington turn back to the UFL and sign Jake Bates? Bates is unable to sign because his team is in the playoffs.

Ahmed replaces Brandon McManus on the roster. McManus was released Sunday after being accused of sexual assault.

 

Attorney ‘disappointed’ Commanders cut Brandon McManus

“We reiterate that the allegations against Brandon [McManus] are and remain absolutely false,” attorney Brett R. Gallaway said.

Less than a week after kicker Brandon McManus was accused of sexually assaulting two flight attendants during the 2023 NFL season, the Washington Commanders released the veteran kicker on Sunday.

Two women have accused McManus in a lawsuit of “rubbing himself against them and grinding against them” and attempting to kiss one of them during a flight to London with the Jacksonville Jaguars last fall.

Brett R. Gallaway, the attorney for McManus, denied the allegations after news broke of the lawsuit last week. Following the Commanders’ decision to release McManus on Sunday, Gallaway released another statement.

“We reiterate that the allegations against Brandon are and remain absolutely false and importantly, are contradicted by indisputable evidence and the accusers’ own prior inconsistent statements and omissions,” Gallaway said.

“While we are disappointed with the team’s decision to release Brandon before he had the opportunity to defend against these fabricated claims, we will aggressively defend and clear Brandon’s name and reputation through the legal process. We intend to defeat these claims, fully exonerate him and look forward to seeing him back on the field where he belongs.”

McManus, 32, played for the Denver Broncos from 2014-2022, winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. He converted 81.1% of his field goal attempts with the Jaguars last season after converting 77.8% with Denver in 2022.

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Washington releases embattled former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus

Washington releases embattled former Jacksonville K Brandon McManus

Content warning: This story includes descriptions of alleged sexual assault.

Washington released embattled former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus Sunday night, after he was named a defendant alongside the Jaguars in a sexual assault lawsuit filed in Duval County Circuit Civil Court on May 24.

The Commanders signed McManus to a one-year, $3.6 million contract in March following his one season with the Jaguars in 2023. Jacksonville did not retain him after going 30-of-37 on field goal attempts and 35-of-35 on extra point attempts over 17 games last season.

“Earlier today, we were made aware of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus,” the Commanders said via release last Monday after the lawsuit surfaced.

“We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter. We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.”

McManus, 32, has been accused of groping two female flight attendants and attempting to kiss one of them during the Jaguars’ Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight to London on Sept. 28, 2023.

The Jaguars are being sued for gross negligence by the plaintiffs, for “failing to properly hire McManus, train him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight staff, supervise him on the flight, adopt policies and procedures to protect flight staff from sexual misconduct by its employees, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior.”

The women, identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II in the lawsuit, seek more than $1 million and have demanded a jury trial.

According to Pro Football Talk, the lawsuit’s acknowledgment of alcohol being possessed and consumed on the flight could result in discipline from the NFL.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson called the details of the lawsuit “disappointing” on Tuesday, stating he was unaware of the situation before the initial report broke.

“I saw the article that came out. Obviously, disappointing to hear the news that took place. Other than that, honestly, being that it’s a legal matter at this time I can’t really comment until more information is gathered,” Pederson said.

Commanders were in an unenviable position regarding McManus

The Commanders were in a tough position with McManus.

As reported earlier by our own Bryan Manning, the Commanders have released kicker Brandon McManus.

Consequently, the Commanders are going to this week’s Organized Team Activities (OTA) without a kicker on their roster.

When the Commanders signed McManus to a one-year deal, some of us thought, well, it was only a one-year deal because he did miss seven field goal attempts in 2023 for the Jaguars.

McManus was successful on 30-of-37 field goal attempts, but when looking a bit closer, one notices that the now-former Commanders kicker missed five of his attempts from 50 yards or more.

Yet, there is the reality that if five of his seven misses were from 50 yards or more, then why did the Jaguars not re-sign McManus?

Enter the story that broke last week when he was accused of sexual assault having transpired on a team flight to London in September 2023.

The Commanders were placed in a very unenviable position. Some in the fan base will no doubt want him severed from the team immediately. Their reasoning is that the franchise was a laughing stock that got so many things wrong for so many years. Those will point out that the new ownership needs to see this as an opportunity to proclaim it has not been business as usual in the past decades and this team is going to clean up its image.

Others in the fan base will be very upset that the Commanders have, in their view, prematurely released McManus prior to his day in court. They will say this new ownership group needs to show more class than the previous leadership of Daniel Snyder and Bruce Allen. They will criticize the Harris Ownership Group for not standing by one of their players who may have been unfairly accused.

Whatever position you take on the McManus issue, one thing is certain: the honeymoon is over for the Harris Ownership Group. They have made several moves this offseason, firing former coaches and not re-signing several in their personnel departments.

And they have been challenged to do something about the terrible brand (Commanders) they inherited…

Commanders should sign UFL star Jake Bates as their new kicker

The Commanders should give Jake Bates a call.

The Washington Commanders need a kicker. The good news is Washington doesn’t open training camp until late next month, so it has time. In case you missed it, the Commanders released veteran kicker Brandon McManus Sunday after he was accused of sexual assault.

It shouldn’t be that hard to find a kicker, right? Finding and keeping a kicker is not as easy as some believe. The Commanders had Joey Slye for most of the past three seasons but he was allowed to leave in free agency, where they signed McManus, a 10-year veteran.

In some good news for Washington, there is a soon-to-be-free-agent kicker who could solve its problems. That’s Jake Bates from the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League. Being from the UFL, Bates cannot sign with an NFL team until June 16.

Why Bates?

The former University of Arkansas kicker has made 17 of his 22 attempts this season in the UFL. Bates has made three field goals of 60 or more yards in Michigan’s 10 games this season, including a game-winning 64-yarder over St. Louis to win the game in March.

While Bates missed a potential game-winner in the regular-season finale on Saturday, six of his 17 made field goals are from 50 yards or longer. Of his five misses, four came from 50 yards or more.

Some NFL teams don’t like to gamble on young kickers. Bates has been in the NFL before, having kicked in training camp for the Texans last summer.

There aren’t a ton of great options among NFL veterans right now. Randy Bullock is a possible option. If general manager Adam Peters is hesitant to gamble on Bates, he could sign Bates and Bullock and let them compete in training camp.

Bates will have interest from the NFL when he’s allowed to sign. Washington would be wise to give him a call.

Commanders release kicker Brandon McManus

The Commanders move on from McManus.

The Washington Commanders announced on Sunday that they’d released kicker Brandon McManus.

McManus was accused of sexually assaulting two women in a lawsuit filed last month in Duval County, Florida. The alleged incident occurred on an international flight last September when McManus played for the Jaguars. The two women were working as flight attendants on Jacksonville’s charter flight to London for the Jaguars’ game against the Atlanta Falcons.

When the lawsuit was filed, the Commanders released the following statement:

Earlier today, we were made aware of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter. We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.

McManus later released the following statement via his attorney:

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.

McManus, 32, signed with the Commanders in March after spending last season with the Jaguars. Before his one season in Jacksonville, McManus spent nine seasons with the Denver Broncos.

The Commanders report for their final week of Offseason Training Activities (OTAS) on Tuesday without a kicker. Washington will hold its mandatory minicamp from June 11-13.

Report: Jaguars could face NFL discipline for alcohol on team flight

Report: Jaguars could face NFL discipline for alcohol on team flight

Content warning: This story includes descriptions of alleged sexual assault.

According to Pro Football Talk, the Jaguars could face discipline from the NFL in addition to being named a defendant in a sexual assault lawsuit filed against former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus in Duval County Circuit Civil Court last week.

The lawsuit describes McManus as having been “drinking” and “drunk” during the Jaguars’ Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight to London on Sept. 28, 2023, when he allegedly sexually assaulted two female flight attendants in what was depicted to be a party-like atmosphere.

Additionally, Pro Football Talk reports witnesses “will say” Jaguars players brought alcohol onto that flight.

The NFL in Nov. 2022 issued a memo reminding teams of league policy prohibiting, and potential discipline for, alcohol possession and consumption in team facilities or during team-sponsored travel.

The memo was issued following the DUI arrest of former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing after a Tennessee road victory in Green Bay and other documented potential offenses across the league.

However, neither the Titans nor the NFL publicly disciplined Downing for his actions, although he was fired following the 2022 season along with three other assistant coaches. He was sentenced to and served 48 hours in jail in early 2023.

“In light of recent events, clubs are reminded that league policy prohibits alcoholic beverages, including beer, in the locker rooms, practice or office facilities, or while traveling on team buses or planes at any time during the preseason, regular season or postseason. This applies to all players, coaches, club personnel, and guests traveling with your team,” the memo read. “This policy has been in place for many years. Making alcohol available at club facilities or while traveling creates significant and unnecessary risks to the league, its players, coaches and others. Violations of this important policy will be taken seriously and will result in significant discipline.

“Each club should ensure that its travel arrangements do not include providing alcohol service at any time and should also take appropriate steps to confirm that alcohol (whether beer or any other alcoholic beverage) is not available at its facility. Please direct all further questions on this subject to Management Council of Football Operations.”

The Jaguars are accused of gross negligence in the lawsuit for “failing to properly hire McManus, train him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight staff, supervise him on the flight, adopt policies and procedures to protect flight staff from sexual misconduct by its employees, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior.”

The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II in the lawsuit and represented by Houston-based attorney Anthony Buzbee, seek more than $1 million and have demanded a jury trial.