The Washington Commanders thought they had a plan in place at kicker for 2024 — a surprise scandal threw those plans into the wind.
Just days after releasing free-agent signee kicker Brandon McManus on June 2 after he was accused of sexual assault, the Commanders signed former Green Bay Packers kicker Ramiz Ahmed as a possible replacement.
“Ahmed spent part of the 2024 spring season with the Birmingham Stallions after Chris Blewitt was injured. Ahmed went 10-for-13, including 4-for-7 from beyond 40 yards,” wrote Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “He holds the record for the longest field goal in USFL history with a 61-yarder after playing for both the Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals. He has never attempted an NFL field goal or PAT but did handle kickoffs in one game for the Packers.”
Ahmed played college football at Nevada, where he made the team as a walk-on after attending an open student tryout for kickers. He went undrafted in 2019 and signed with the Chicago Bears in 2020, where he lost a competition with Eddy Pineiro and was waived in Aug. 2020.
Ahmed might not be the final kicker to come in and get an opportunity with the Commanders, but head coach Dan Quinn indicated the job is there for Ahmed to grab hold of.
“It’s also moments like this that guys get their opportunity and when they do, a lot of times, people have been waiting for that shot, that moment,” Quinn told ESPN’s John Keim.
Commanders Left Reeling After McManus’ Scandal
McManus’ release came just days after news broke that McManus was being accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed by two women over his alleged actions on overseas flight to London last year while he was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McManus was the only kicker on the Commanders roster at the time of his release. He was signed to a 1-year, $3.6 million contract with the Commanders on March 14.
In 2023, while playing on a 1-year, $2 million contract with the Jaguars, he made 30 of 37 field-goal attempts and all 35 of his extra point attempts last season.
According to an article by ESPN’s Michael Dirocco, McManus was accused of “rubbing himself against(the women) and grinding against them,” on the flight and the women are seeking “in excess of $1 million and demanding a jury trial.”
The two women, who both worked for the airline, are identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II in the lawsuit.
Quinn, Commanders Unaware of Accusations
Quinn told ESPN’s Keim that he and the organization were unaware of the accusations against McManus until last week.
“Quinn said he first learned of the allegations on May 27,” Keim wrote. “He declined to comment further on McManus because the situation remains ‘under investigation.’ Quinn said he did discuss with his players the need to communicate situations the team needs to be aware of because, he said, ‘that kind of communication allows you to come up with some solutions,’ though he said that wasn’t specific to McManus’ situation.”
McManus has maintained his innocence since the accusations were made public.
