Editors’ note: This story contains accounts of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.org.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam issued a statement following disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson’s ruling that Deshaun Watson should be suspended for six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
“Throughout this process, Deshaun and his representatives have abided by the newly created and agreed upon process for the NFLPA and the NFL to defer to the objective Judge Sue L. Robinson to comprehensively review all information and make a fair decision,” the statement began. “We respect Judge Robinson’s decision and at the same time, empathize and understand that there have been many individuals triggered throughout this process.
“We know Deshaun is remorseful that this situation has caused much heartache to many and he will continue the work needed to show who he is on and off the field, and we will continue to support him.”
The proposed punishment comes nearly a month after Cleveland traded Baker Mayfield to the Panthers, leaving Watson, Joshua Dobbs and Jacoby Brissett in the team’s QB room.
Watson is able to appeal the ruling, but according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, league commissioner Roger Goodell will either make a final decision or call upon an independent ruler.
Shortly after a Harris County grand jury returned nine “no” bills on nine criminal complaints against the quarterback, Cleveland traded for Watson and signed him to a five-year contract worth a guaranteed $230 million. A clause built into the contract mandates Watson will lose only $55,556 for every game in which he’s suspended this season.
Robinson’s ruling comes after the league’s investigation lasted well over a year into the sexual harassment and assault allegations levied against the Browns quarterback. More than two dozen women have detailed graphic accounts of sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurred during massage therapy sessions. The accounts range from Watson allegedly refusing to cover his genitals to the quarterback “touching [a plaintiff] with his penis and trying to force her to perform oral sex on him.”
Twenty-five women filed civil lawsuits against Watson starting in March 2021, and only one dropped their case due to privacy concerns in April ’21. However, Watson agreed to settle 20 of his 24 civil lawsuits in June ’22. Watson reportedly settled three additional civil suits ahead of Monday’s disciplinary decision, leaving only one active civil suit that has yet to be decided.
Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, said following the 20 settlements that the terms and amounts agreed to are confidential and “we won’t comment further on the settlements or those cases.”
The quarterback has denied all allegations against him, and two Texas grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges earlier this spring.
Watson’s hearing with Robinson began on June 28 as both sides prepared different arguments for their respective points of view. The league was reportedly pushing for an “indefinite suspension,” which would “give the NFL the flexibility to keep him out for longer based on a variety of factors, including whether more cases surface,” per the Wall Street Journal. NFL officials have reportedly “zeroed in” on five specific women “whose cases they believe include the strongest evidence.” The league reportedly wanted the “indefinite suspension” to be no less than one year.
According to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, settlement talks between the parties collapsed when the NFL pushed for a full-season punishment while the players association argued for something lighter. They reportedly planned to show comparisons to the league’s handling of cases involving three prominent team owners—the Commanders’ Daniel Snyder, the Patriots’ Robert Kraft and the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones.
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports on July 18, Watson and the NFLPA were prepared to file a lawsuit against the NFL in federal court if dealt a full-year suspension, regardless if it came from Robinson or the league appealing her ruling.
