According to reports, the 39-year-old was cited in the new suit, filed by six “Jane Doe” women last week, arguing that the university allowed a “hostile sexual environment” to endure on campus.
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One incident listed as an example in the lawsuit is a 1996 sexual assault complaint against Manning by the university’s first female associate trainer, who is not a party to the current case.
King read the lawsuit and wrote: “The book, which trashes the character of Dr Jamie Naughright, continues to be sold to this very day, while Peyton Manning continues to benefit from his reputation not only as a superstar quarterback, but also an individual of high moral character”.
Whited, now Jamie Naughright, said in the investigative report by the university that she was treating Manning’s foot when he began “asking me several personal questions” including whether she “hang(s) out with people she works with”.
Five years after the incident, both parties had seemingly moved on: Peyton was the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and Naughright was the program director of Florida Southern’s athletic training program. In addition, the document alleges that there was a previous incident between in 1994, but that document was filed under seal.
The more ugly news that comes out regarding Manning will certainly have an impact on his many endorsement deals.
But in 2000, Manning and his father Archie released a book in which Peyton described Naughright as having a “vulgar mouth” and being loose sexually with student-athletes.
The AP report said Smith and the women who initiated the lawsuit seek to expose systemic Title IX violations at Tennessee.
For her depiction in the book, Naughright sued the Mannings, their ghostwriter John Warren Underwood, and the Harper Collins Publishing Company in 2001.
There is a legal settlement between Naughright and Manning. Now Peyton Manning – with past allegations resurfacing about sexual misconduct toward a University of Tennessee female athletic trainer while in college – is back on the news cycle front burner for reasons beyond whether the Denver Broncos quarterback intends to retire. However, she included the allegations in a 1997 sexual harassment lawsuit against the University of Tennessee, eventually settling with the university and agreeing to leave her job. Another player told police one of their teammates had put a “hit out” on Bowles. Get in the comment box and let me know what you think about this alleged “pass” Peyton got from the media.
It was not until 2003, according to the documents, that the specific nature of what Manning is now being accused of doing came to light, seven years after the original affidavit and more than a year into this lawsuit. Instead of airing out the issues that may have existed, they went full “politics of personal destruction” on Dr. Naughright’s character and credibility.
That defamation suit is what led to the 74-page court document that was the subject of the recent New York Daily News story that called into question Peyton’s “squeaky-clean image”.
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The statutes of limitation have expired and reaching a settlement is not an admission of guilt. Nor is the National Football League likely to look into an alleged incident that happened before Manning’s pro career began.
