From Harvey Weinstein to, most recently, Kevin Spacey, many pop culture figures have been reduced to nothingness in the wake of startling revelations from their respective accusers, with patterns of sexual aggression and assault becoming a backstory that is ruining the careers of more and more celebrities. This sad chain of events has now extended itself into the world of sports, where one of the NFL's most legendary players is being accused of sexual harassment by a former trainer who worked with him during his playing days at the University of Tennessee.
According to CBS News, Peyton Manning is the latest male celebrity to be accused over sexually harassing a woman, in an incident that took place 21 years ago. Jamie Naughright, a former athletic trainer, is speaking out about the inappropriate behavior Manning exhibited while she treated him for an injury back in 1996. At the time, Manning was a 19-year-old QB playing at the University of Tennessee. He continues to deny this allegation, saying that he and a teammate were just goofing around. The TV interview with Naughright, which you can see below, includes some footage from Manning's video deposition related to the legal fallout from this incident. That deposition took place in 2003.
"I briefly pulled down my pants to so-called 'moon' him," Manning said during that deposition. "One second, one and a half seconds. Pulled my pants back up and continued with Jamie's examination of the bottom of my foot." Naughright refuted Manning's account of the story, calling it "a lie." She went even further when describing her reaction to his supposed advances on that day. "I was repulsed. I was scared. I was intimidated," she said. "It was definitely a predator: intimidating, anger, violent eyes that he had."
Manning's attorney was not having Naughright's recounting of the incident, releasing a statement that read as follows:
"Peyton Manning has been absolutely clear: Jamie Naughright's accusations are false. When her claims were first investigated 21 years ago, she told a very different story. Her current account was invented several years later in connection with her first of several groundless litigations against Peyton. Most recently, she left Peyton's mother a vulgar and extremely disturbing voicemail. Ms. Naughright should stop this abusive behavior."