NFL

‘My dignity was stripped’: Terrell Davis discusses being handcuffed on flight in front of wife and kids

NFL Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis said that United Airlines had not apologized to him directly after he was handcuffed for lightly tapping a flight attendant to ask for ice.

By Kevin Slane

July 17, 2024

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NFL Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis continued to speak out about being handcuffed on a United Airlines flight in front of his family over the weekend, telling “Good Morning America” Wednesday morning that he was “demoralized” and “humiliated” by the experience.

Alongside his wife, Tamika, Davis told “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts that he was escorted off the plane in handcuffs after tapping a flight attendant’s arm to ask for ice for his son.

“I felt demoralized. I felt embarrassed, humiliated,” Davis said. “I felt like my dignity was stripped from me right in front of my children and my family. And I want United to be held accountable for this.”

United Airlines issued a statement saying that the airline had “removed the flight attendant from duty” and had contacted Davis’ team to apologize.

Davis told Roberts that while the company had contacted his attorney, he had not received a direct apology, and felt the airline’s communication had been “generic.”

“I have not heard from them directly,” Davis said. “That to me, is a problem. I want them to make more accountability.”

Terrell Davis: “I am still in shock.”

Davis, who played for the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2001, initially discussed the incident in an Instagram post on Monday, writing that after he tapped the flight attendant on the arm for a cup of ice, the employee shouted “don’t hit me” and hurried toward the front of the plane.

Once the flight from Denver to Orange County, California, landed, Davis wrote, law-enforcement boarded the plane, put Davis in handcuffs without explanation and removed him from the flight.

“I was – and remain – humiliated, embarrassed, powerless, and angry,” Davis wrote.

While in questioning, Davis said law enforcement determined the flight attendant’s accusations didn’t have merit and apologized.

FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller said in a statement that agents and law enforcement partners at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport responded to a report of an incident aboard a flight, and detained and then released an individual who was cooperative.

Wrapping up his Instagram post, Davis demanded an investigation into the flight attendant “who blatantly lied and placed undue harm on me and my family.”

Parker Stinar, Davis’ attorney, said in a statement: “We plan on fully investigating the events that took place and are actively contacting United Airlines in this matter.”

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Material from the Associated Press was used in this report