The Washington Commanders‘ decision to release kicker Brandon McManus shocked everyone in the NFL world. At the center of this is Josh Harris, besides McManus, the Commanders’ owner with a $3.99 billion stake in Atlas Air Worldwide. The employer of the flight attendants accusing McManus of sexual assault during a flight from Jacksonville to London in 2023.

Mike Florio raised his doubts on Pro Football Talk, “Josh Harris, the majority owner of the Commanders, was a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, which owns Atlas Air Worldwide.” This connection raised eyebrows, with Florio speculating, “I suspect he knows people there, and there’s a way to find out what Atlas knows if you want to make a few phone calls..so it would have been very easy for Harris if he wanted to try to find out what atlas knows about this. What are your internal reports say, should I be concerned about this guy? Should I move on from this guy? Is this going to be a problem for me or it’s just as simple as Chris this guy isn’t good enough for us to deal with the distraction.” 

Harris’ insider access to Atlas Air’s internal reports could have provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the allegations, influencing the Commanders to cut ties with McManus. As Florio bluntly stated, “Sometimes phone calls that never happened make the world go round.”

Chris Simms, Florio’s colleague, suggested that the Commanders likely wanted to avoid the distraction of a high-profile sexual assault case. “Do we really want this hanging over our head here, like people not talking about Jayden Daniels in the preseason, but we’re talking about Brandon McManus and his sexual assault lawsuits? Nobody wants that.”

The Commanders’ statement, “We take allegations of this nature very seriously,” demonstrated their commitment to maintaining a clean slate under Harris’ leadership, which stood in stark contrast to former owner Dan Snyder, who faced a $60 million fine for sexual harassment allegations in 2022.

Meanwhile, McManus’ attorney, Brett R. Gallaway, denied the accusations, calling them “absolutely fictitious and demonstrably false allegations made as part of a campaign to defame and disparage a talented and well-respected NFL player.” However, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Tony Buzbee, fired back, stating, “We made sure to fully vet them and speak to witnesses before even taking the cases. We will pursue this case with the same tenacity we are known for.”

The McManus situation is a prime example of how business interests can shape roster decisions. Leaving players caught in the crossfire of public scrutiny.

The fall of Brandon McManus and the Commanders’ quest for a fresh start

McManus, with a storied career in the NFL, now finds amidst serious allegations of sexual assault. McManus’ career trajectory took a sharp turn when two flight attendants filed a lawsuit accusing him of “rubbing himself against them and grinding against them” during a team flight last season. The allegations have cast a dark shadow over his professional achievements.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out, the financial implications of McManus’ release are significant. “He’s owed that money. They have to pay him that money. Well, they don’t have to because what they could do is just not pay him, force him to file a grievance.” Florio revealed that McManus’ one-year, $3.6 million contract included a $1.5 million signing bonus, with half due on April 26 and the remaining $750,000 due on June 7.

The Commanders now either pay McManus the remaining signing bonus or risk a grievance battle. As Florio astutely observed, “If he pursues a grievance and wins, he’s getting what he would have gotten, anyway.” This further highlights the Commanders’ motivation to swiftly sever ties with McManus, even if it means legal complexities down the line.

The McManus saga serves as a cautionary tale. It highlights the league’s growing intolerance for behavior that could tarnish its image and the willingness of teams to make tough decisions in pursuit of a fresh start, even at the cost of sacrificing talented players.