NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis was detained this past weekend on a United Airlines flight, in what Davis has called a "traumatizing" event for him and his family. Let's examine what happened.

Deplorable Treatment

Davis, a Denver Broncos Hall of Fame running back, recently traveled with his wife and three children on United Airlines from Denver to Santa Ana, California. He posted on Instagram about the incident.

In the post, he mentions that his son politely requested a cup of ice during the flight's refreshment service. According to Davis, the flight attendant serving them either did not hear the request or completely ignored it.

As the flight attendant continued past the row where Davis and his son were sitting, he lightly tapped the flight attendant's arm to get his attention. This was to ask for a cup of ice again for his son.

Davis reports that after he tried getting the flight attendant's attention, the flight attendant shouted, "Don't hit me," and moved on to another part of the plane. 

He further noted that the male flight attendant was rude and blatantly wrong in the accusations.

That particular flight attendant did not interact with Davis for the remainder of the flight.

Once the flight landed in Santa Ana, the Captain asked everyone to remain seated as the aircraft parked at the gate. It was here when six FBI and law enforcement agents boarded the plane.

They proceeded directly to Davis' seat and placed him in handcuffs without any explanation. This was in front of all the passengers, including Davis' wife and children, who watched silently.

Davis was removed from the flight while being recorded by multiple passengers. This traumatizing incident has left him "humiliated, powerless, and angry," he stated on Instagram.

An attorney for Davis mentioned that the FBI questioned other passengers and United crew members before eventually apologizing and letting Davis go.

Still, Davis noted that this was a traumatizing experience for his family that cannot be undone. He is demanding a thorough investigation into the flight attendant who lied and placed undue harm on him and his family.

United Apologizes

United Airlines has since apologized to Mr. Davis regarding the incident, saying:

"This is not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide, and we have reached out to Mr. Davis' team to apologize. We have removed the flight attendant from duty while closely reviewing this matter."

As stated above, the flight attendant who wrongly accused Mr. Davis of hitting him has been removed from service. It is unclear if he will be reinstated once the investigation concludes.

Terrell Davis was drafted in the sixth round by the Denver Broncos in 1995 and signed with them in 1995. He played in the NFL for seven years, all of which he spent with the Broncos.

Davis and his Broncos won the 1998 Super Bowl, after which he was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 1998 season and Super Bowl MVP.

Due to injuries, he retired after seven seasons. However, Davis is in the Broncos Ring of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.