If the Jaguars knew of the lawsuit against the team and former kicker (now kicker) Brandon McManus before Monday, that information did not reach coach Doug Pederson.
“I saw the article that came out,” Pederson told reporters on Tuesday. “Obviously, it’s disappointing to hear the news that happened. You know, other than that, honestly, since it’s a legal matter at this time, I can’t really comment until more information is gathered.”
“That’s the first I’ve heard, yeah,” Pederson then said regarding Monday’s article.
He was also asked about the allegation that it was the “party” atmosphere on the plane from Jacksonville to London that sparked allegations by two flight attendants that McManus sexually assaulted them. Pederson did not deny the accuracy of the description.
“A typical trip is not like that, it’s a business trip,” Pederson said. “It’s a business trip. And that’s how we approach it from an organizational standpoint, you know, from a league standpoint. So, when I read that, that part was disappointing.”
Pederson said the team was not aware of the allegations before McManus was cut. Pederson also refused to go into details about how the players and others were seated on the plane.
Atlas Airlines has large aircraft, including 747s, in its fleet. It is possible that Pederson and other management employees were not even on the same plane as the plane where the alleged misconduct occurred.
Pederson’s comments come as attorney Tony Buzbee said an effort was made to settle the claims before the lawsuit was filed on Friday. It is possible that pre-lawsuit settlement efforts focused solely on McManus.
