Terrell Davis, the former NFL running back and Hall of Famer, and his wife Tamiko Nash have opened up about a troubling incident they experienced with United Airlines.
Davis, 51, was removed from a United Airlines flight in handcuffs last weekend following a bizarre altercation with a flight attendant.
The alleged incident occurred while Davis was traveling from Denver to Orange County with his wife and their three children. He described the experience as deeply traumatizing.
“During the beverage service, my son politely requested a cup of ice,” Davis said. “The flight attendant either didn’t hear or ignored his request and continued past our row.”
““I calmly reached behind me and lightly tapped his arm to get his attention to again ask for a cup of ice for my son. His response and the events that followed should stun all of us.”
According to Davis, the flight attendant reacted by shouting, “Don’t hit me,” before quickly departing the area.
The situation escalated upon landing in California when law enforcement officers boarded the plane, handcuffed Davis, and escorted him off the aircraft.
In an emotional interview on “Good Morning America,” Davis and his wife shared more details about the alleged incident.
Davis described the flight attendant as rude and said he had slammed drinks down in front of his children.
“I felt demoralized, embarrassed, and humiliated,” he said, criticizing United Airlines and the responding officers for their treatment of him.
“I felt like my dignity was stripped away in front of my family. I want United to be held accountable for this.”
Nash added that she initially thought her husband’s handcuffing was a joke.
“I asked, ‘Terrell, are you joking? Is this a prank?’ He quietly replied, ‘No, it’s not.’ Our children were right there, watching their dad being taken away.”
United Airlines has issued an apology for the incident, but Davis noted that he has not received a personal apology from the airline.
“They have reached out to my attorney, but I haven’t heard from them directly. That, to me, is a problem,” he said.
Davis was one of the best players of his era.
A two-time Super Bowl winner with the Denver Broncos, Davis won the NFL MVP in 1998 and was twice named NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1996 and 1998).
Although his career was sadly cut short, Davis put up enormous numbers, rushing for 7,607 yards and 60 touchdowns while also hauling in 169 receptions for 1,280 yards and 5 scores in the receiving game.
What are your thoughts on the alleged incident?
Between this situation and today’s bizarre IT crash, United Airlines has had quite a lot on their plate this past week.
As far as Davis the player, where do you rank him among the top running backs during his tenure???