The lawsuit filed against the Jaguars and former Jacksonville (now Commanders) kicker Brandon McManus creates plenty of concerns for the team and the league. Embedded within the allegations of sexual misconduct involving two flight attendants is another potentially major issue for the organization.
If alcohol was being served or consumed on the flight, the Jaguars could be in hot water with the league.
In November 2022, a pair of incidents involving apparent and/or actual alcohol consumption on team flights prompted the NFL to issue a strongly-worded reminder to all teams about the relevant rule. After former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing was arrested for DUI under a timeline that suggested he was drinking on the plane back from Green Bay following a Thursday night win and Commanders players were disciplined for having beer on the team plane back from Philly after a Monday night win, the league made it clear that future penalties would be even worse.
Portions of the memo from the league office were leaked at the time. It threatened “significant discipline” for future violations.
Whether the league was huffing and puffing or whether the league will be blowing houses down will be determined if, only 11 months later, the alleged partying on the Jaguars’ plane to London involved the kind of adult beverages that adults consume at adult parties.
And to those who will bristle at the notion that alcohol use on team planes or in team facilities is frowned upon by the NFL, the goal is to make sure that, once the plane lands and the employees disperse in their personal cars, there’s no chance they’ll potentially maim or kill one or more local citizens who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
