• Mike Francesa made light of an unnamed NFL player’s claim that he was sexually assaulted mid-flight.
• On his radio show, “Mike’s On,” Francesa questioned how an NFL player “could not protect himself from the advances of a female passenger” and asked if “we’re supposed to take this seriously.”
• The anonymous player has filed a lawsuit against United Airlines accusing the staff of failing to enforce policies to protect him and another passenger from the woman’s unwanted advances.
• Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

An unnamed NFL player is suing United Airlines, saying he was sexually assaulted by a female passenger mid-flight.

And sports radio legend Mike Francesa thinks it’s funny.

On his radio show Wednesday, Francesa mocked and laughed at the player who filed the suit before questioning how an NFL player “could not protect himself from the advances of a female passenger.”

“We’re supposed to take this seriously?” Francesa said. “When I read this story, I didn’t think it was real.”

“This is an NFL player. He plays in the National Football League,” Francesa added, laughing. “He plays the most violent game that you can possibly play and he cannot protect himself against the advances of a female passenger on a United flight?”

In the lawsuit, the anonymous player says he and another man took a redeye flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport back in February, according to The New York Times. The woman, seated in the window seat next to them, ripped off the player’s facemask and grabbed his penis, according to the suit.

The player alleges United Airlines staff were negligent in protecting him and his friend despite repeated requests for flight attendants to intervene.

Francesa questioned whether the player really wanted to protect himself.

“What guy couldn’t protect himself from the advances of a female passenger?” Francesa posed. “Forget whether or not you’d want to protect yourself against the female, but that’s a different story. The point is, who couldn’t? And you’re telling me this NFL player couldn’t?”

“You’re gonna figure some kick returner’s gonna come out, because what happens if a 320-pound, 6-foot-7 lineman comes out?” he added, laughing.

The player’s lawyers say their client, who is identified in the lawsuit as “John Doe 1,” did not physically protect himself out of fear “of the perception of being a male victim and the racial stigma of being a young African-American male.” Instead, he “patiently pleaded for assailant” – a middle-aged white woman – “to stop and removed her hand,” the lawsuit said.

According to The Times, the woman was eventually forced to sit in an empty row, and the airline gave the men $US150 vouchers.

“I would be fascinated to know who the player is,” Francesa said. “And I would say he’s going to take quite a bit of ribbing around the league.”

Check out the clip from “Mike’s On” below:

Radio.com, which owns “Mike’s On,” did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

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