Kicker Brandon McManus is signing
with the Green Bay Packers, AP source says
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[October 16, 2024]
By STEPHEN WHYNO
The Green Bay Packers are signing kicker Brandon McManus, according
to a person with knowledge of the move.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity
Tuesday because the deal had not been announced.
The move comes after the NFL said late last month it did not find
sufficient evidence to support claims that McManus sexually
assaulted two women who were working as flight attendants on the
Jacksonville Jaguars’ trip to London last year. The league considers
the case closed, paving the way for McManus to rejoin a team, though
it could be reopened if new evidence emerged.
The civil case remains active in Duval County Circuit Court in
Florida. A message sent to attorneys representing the women was not
immediately returned.
In court documents initially filed in late May under pseudonyms and
then again in early September using their names when a judge ruled
the lawsuit did not meet the criteria for anonymity, the women
allege McManus tried to kiss one of them and rubbed up against both
while they were trying to perform their work responsibilities during
the Sept. 28, 2023, trans-Atlantic flight. The team was on its way
to play a pair of games in England.
McManus signed with Washington as a free agent in March and was on
the Commanders' roster when the lawsuit was filed. They released him
soon after.
The 33-year-old joins Green Bay in the aftermath of rookie Brayden
Narveson missing his league-worst fifth field goal this season
Sunday in a 34-13 victory over Arizona. The Packers have struggled
to find a reliable kicker since moving on from Mason Crosby, who
held down the job from 2007-22 and remains the franchise’s all-time
leading scorer.
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Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus (10) kicks off the ball
during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday,
Dec. 31, 2023, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File)
Green Bay selected Anders Carlson out of Auburn in the sixth round
of the 2023 draft, but he capped an inconsistent rookie season by
missing a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of a 24-21
playoff loss at San Francisco. After Carlson and veteran Greg Joseph
competed for the job in training camp, the Packers went in a
different direction and claimed Narveson off waivers from the
Tennessee Titans.
Narveson was 12 of 17 on field goal attempts this season without
attempting any from beyond 49 yards.
McManus, a Philadelphia native who played college football at
Temple, spent his first nine years with Denver and was with the
Broncos when they won the Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He played
for Jacksonville in 2023.
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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Green Bay, Wisconsin, contributed
to this report.All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved
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