GREEN BAY, Wis. — Brandon McManus wasn’t positive if he’d get one other alternative to kick within the NFL, however when the league closed its investigation into doable violations of the personnel conduct coverage final month, he stated the cellphone started to ring.
Lower than three weeks later, he was on the Inexperienced Bay Packers observe area making ready for Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Houston Texans at Lambeau Discipline.
McManus had signed with the Washington Commanders within the offseason, solely to be launched after two girls who have been working as flight attendants on the chartered airline of his former workforce, the Jacksonville Jaguars, used to fly to London in September 2023 filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault on the journey. The NFL on Sept. 30 issued its findings that McManus wouldn’t face disciplinary motion.
“It has been a tough time these final couple of months,” McManus stated Wednesday. “I am completely happy that it is up to now now. I hoped and dealing laborious for an additional alternative. I am extraordinarily grateful for the Inexperienced Bay Packers for giving me that subsequent probability to come back again out right here and play the sport I like.”
McManus stated Wednesday that the lawsuit has been “resolved,” however declined to say whether or not there was a settlement or a dismissal of the civil swimsuit. Whereas Florida courtroom information present depositions with the 2 girls stay on the docket, lawyer Brett Gallaway, who represents McManus, informed ESPN in a press release Wednesday: “The case has been resolved. I look ahead to seeing him play for the Packers on Sunday.”
Legal professional Tony Buzbee, who isn’t listed on the lawsuit however stated final month that he was representing the ladies, confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday night time that the matter was “resolved” and that phrases have been confidential.
Buzbee issued a press release again on Sept. 30 saying the NFL by no means interviewed the ladies throughout its investigation. A league supply stated the NFL reached out a number of instances to Buzbee to request a gathering however by no means heard again. The league may reopen the investigation if there’s new proof to contemplate.
Packers normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst stated the workforce adopted the league’s investigation carefully, and after doing their very own background work felt snug signing the veteran with a profession common of 81.4% on area objectives.
“I believe for us actually clearly he would not be accessible proper now if these accusations weren’t on the market,” Gutekunst stated Wednesday. “However I believe the league did a very thorough investigation, and we leaned on that as we went via it.”
“I am not going to enter a whole lot of the main points,” Gutekunst added, “however we really feel very, very snug with the acquisition.”
Gutekunst additionally stated he wanted to listen to from McManus earlier than the Packers signed him.
“I had a very good dialog with Brandon final night time … and his agent Drew Rosenhaus as we sort of — final week when this stuff acquired cleared up inside the league and he acquired previous another issues — these conversations sort of simply picked up,” Gutekunst stated. “We wished to guarantee that we did our due diligence. Once more, we really feel actually good about the place we sit proper now. We’re excited to get him on the market.”
McManus spent his first 10 seasons with the Denver Broncos. In his lone season with the Jaguars final yr, he made 30 of 37 area objectives and all 35 of his further factors.
The Packers have struggled within the kicking recreation since halfway via final season, when then-rookie sixth-round choose Anders Carlson started to overlook area objectives and additional factors. He missed a minimum of one kick (area aim or further level) in eight of the final 10 regular-season video games, plus one in every of the 2 playoff video games.
Brayden Narveson, who was launched Wednesday, joined the Packers as a waiver declare the day after ultimate roster cuts on the finish of coaching camp. He missed 5 area objectives in six video games, essentially the most of any kicker within the league. In all, he was 12-for-17 on area objectives.
“I believe the place our soccer workforce is at proper now, we all know how vital these video games are,” Gutekunst stated. “I assumed it was vital that if we had a chance to get a veteran kicker who’d been via a few of these fires and a few of this strain that our workforce goes to undergo over the following few weeks, I assumed it was vital that we purchase one. And actually Brandon was the one one which was on the market.”
