Photo: Getty Images
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis revealed that he was placed in handcuffs and escorted off a United Airlines plane from Denver to Orange County due to an incident with a flight attendant in a statement shared on his Instagram account Monday (July 15).
Davis, 51, said he was "still in shock over the traumatizing events," which he claims stemmed from tapping a male flight attendant on the arm to get his attention, which the flight attendant claimed was done in a "rude" manner and yelled back "don't hit me."
"During the beverage service, my son politely requested a cup of ice," Davis wrote on his social media accounts. "The flight attendant either didn't hear or ignored his request and continued past our row. I calmly reached behind me and lightly tapped his arm to get his attention to again ask for a cup of ice for my son. His response and the events that followed should stun all of us.
"He shouted 'don't hit me' and left the cart to hurriedly approach the front of the plane. I was confused, as were the passengers in front of me who witnessed the exchange. I thought nothing of it other than this particular employee was incredibly rude and blatantly wrong in his accusations of me hitting him. I did not see or interact with him further for the duration of the flight.
"As we landed in Orange County, the pilot asked all passengers to remain seated, six FBI and law enforcement agents boarded the plane.
'The FBI agents and local authorities proceeded directly to my seat and immediately placed me in handcuffs, while seated and without any explanation, in front of my wife and children while the entire flight of passengers watched in silence. I was then removed from the flight while being recorded by multiple passengers as I was paraded off of the plane in handcuffs by the officer.
"I was -- and remain -- humiliated, embarrassed, powerless, and angry."
Davis said that agents "rightfully determined" that the flight attendant's accusations were inaccurate and "agents profusely apologized even offering to support me and my family in any way possible." The retired running back said he hasn't, however, received any response from United Airlines and plans to take legal action following "the traumatizing experience of my two sons, my daughter, and my wife watching me being placed in handcuffs," which he said was done "without due process or any explanation" and "cannot be undone."
Davis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, having spent his entire career with the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2002. The former University of Georgia standout is a two-time Super Bowl champion, the Super Bowl XXXII MVP, the 1998 NFL Most Valuable Player, a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1996, 1998), a three-time First-team All-Pro (1996-98), a three-time Pro Bowler (1996-98), the 1998 NFL rushing yards leader, the NFL rushing touchdowns leader in 1997 and 1998 and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.