NFL Hall of Famer says he was unjustly handcuffed and ‘humiliated’ on a flight

DENVER — Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said Monday he felt “humiliated” after he was handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight over the weekend, after which police apologized.

Davis, who previously played for the Denver Broncos, wrote in an Instagram post that he tapped a flight attendant on the arm, prompting the employee to yell, “Don’t hit me,” and quickly walk to the front of the plane.

Once the flight from Denver to Orange County, California, landed, Davis wrote, police officers boarded the plane, handcuffed Davis without explanation and removed him from the plane.

“I felt — and still feel — humiliated, ashamed, powerless and angry,” Davis wrote.

During questioning, Davis said that police determined that the flight attendant’s allegations were unfounded and that she apologized.

United Airlines said in a statement that it had reached out to Davis’ team to apologize and had relieved the flight attendant of her duties while the incident was investigated.

“This is clearly not the type of travel experience we strive for,” the statement said.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said in a statement that agents and law enforcement partners responded to a report of an incident aboard an aircraft at John Wayne Airport in Orange County and detained and subsequently released a cooperative individual.

Davis concluded his Instagram post by demanding an investigation into the flight attendant “who blatantly lied and caused unnecessary harm to me and my family.”

Parker Stinar, Davis’ attorney, said in a statement: “We intend to fully investigate the events that occurred and are actively engaging with United Airlines in this matter.”