Terrell Davis says he was handcuffed on United Airlines flight

Pro Football Hall of Fame member Terrell Davis said he was “still in shock from the traumatic events” aboard a flight to California, where he was handcuffed.

The two-time Super Bowl winner said in an Instagram post that his son asked for a cup of ice cream during drink service on a United Airlines flight with his wife and three children from Denver to Orange County on Saturday. The flight attendant did not respond to the request, so Davis said he “calmly reached behind me and lightly tapped his arm.” The flight attendant reportedly yelled “Don’t hit me” and left the drink cart to go to the front. Davis said he and other passengers were confused.

“I didn’t think anything of it except that this particular employee was incredibly rude and was completely false in his accusations that I had hit him,” he said. “I didn’t see him or have any contact with him again for the entire flight.”

The former NFL MVP said that when the flight landed, the pilot told all passengers to remain seated. Then six FBI and police officers boarded the plane and handcuffed him.

“I was then taken off the plane while several passengers filmed me being led off the plane in handcuffs by the officers,” Davis said. “I was – and still am – humiliated, ashamed, powerless and angry.”

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Officials confirm incident involving Terrell Davis

Davis said he was taken in for questioning by authorities and subsequently claimed that “the officers correctly determined that the allegations made by this flight attendant were inaccurate. The officers apologized profusely and even offered to assist me and my family in any way they could.”

Spokespeople for the FBI and John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, where the flight landed, confirmed the incident to USA TODAY Sports.

“FBI agents and law enforcement partners at John Wayne Airport in Orange County responded to a report of an incident aboard a flight that required further investigation. An individual was detained for questioning, cooperated with law enforcement and was released to continue their travel,” both spokespeople said in a statement.

Davis added that he had not heard from United Airlines, but he refused to remain silent on “this disgusting display of injustice and deplorable treatment by United Airlines.”

“The traumatic experience of my two sons, my daughter and my wife watching me being handcuffed – without due process or any explanation – cannot be undone,” Davis said.

United Airlines apologizes for incident

United Airlines apologized for the incident in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. The flight attendant involved in the incident has been suspended from duty while the incident is under review.

“This is clearly not the type of travel experience we want to provide and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’ team to apologize,” United Airlines said.

He added that his legal team at Stinar, Gould, Grieco & Hensley will be in touch with United Airlines and will request an investigation into the flight attendant. Parker Stinar of the law firm said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports that the legal team plans to investigate the incident and is in touch with United Airlines about it.

“Mr. Davis’ testimony speaks for itself and we all agree that no human being should be subjected to this kind of injustice and humiliation, especially in front of his children and wife,” Stinar said.

Davis played seven seasons for the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2001. He was a star in Denver, winning the NFL MVP in 1998 and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1996 and 1998. He was part of the Super Bowl 32 and 33 winning teams and was named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl 32. He is the all-time leading runner in Broncos franchise history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

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