On Monday, July 15th, NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis was handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight following an incident with a flight attendant. The former Denver Broncos running back described the experience as humiliating and has since received an apology from law enforcement, though not directly from the airline.
The incident occurred during a flight from Denver to Santa Ana, California. According to Davis, his son requested a cup of ice during beverage service, but the flight attendant either ignored or did not hear the request. Davis then tapped the attendant’s arm to get his attention, which led to the attendant shouting, “Don’t hit me,” and hurrying to the front of the plane.
Upon landing, six FBI agents and other law enforcement officers boarded the plane, placed Davis in handcuffs, and forcibly removed him in front of his wife and children. Davis detailed the event in an Instagram post, expressing his shock and confusion. He emphasized that the flight attendant’s accusation was false and described feeling powerless and embarrassed.
Davis told CNN, “I was stripped of my dignity. I was powerless. I couldn’t do anything.” He further explained that he did not interact with the flight attendant for the remainder of the flight. After being taken off the plane, Davis was questioned and subsequently released when it was determined that the flight attendant’s accusations were inaccurate.
United Airlines has removed the flight attendant from duty while the incident is being reviewed. The airline stated, “This is clearly not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide, and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’s team to apologize.” However, Davis mentioned that he has not received a direct apology from United Airlines, only through his attorney.
Davis’ attorney, Parker Stinar, called for an immediate investigation into the flight attendant’s actions, describing the incident as appalling and disturbing. The FBI confirmed that they responded to a report regarding an incident on the flight and that the individual detained for questioning was cooperative and released.
The incident has drawn attention to the treatment of passengers and the role of law enforcement in such situations. Davis, who has always aimed to be a positive role model for his children, expressed his heartbreak over the experience, stating, “We did the right thing. We didn’t do anything. Yet I found myself with handcuffs, being paraded off a plane, and being treated like a convict.”
