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.
The Browns rookies and quarterbacks reported to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for training camp on Friday. Among the team’s group of signal callers was Deshaun Watson, despite not currently knowing his status for the 2022 season.
Watson is waiting for a ruling from Sue L. Robinson, the NFL and NFLPA’s independent arbitrator in his hearing, to determine if he will face any suspension for the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The three-time Pro Bowler still faces four active civil suits, after 20 were settled in June, that were filed by massage therapists, detailing graphic accounts of sexual harassment and sexual assault that took place 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.” In June, The New York Times’ Jenny Vrentas reported that Watson booked at least 66 women over the span of 17 months for massage therapy sessions.
The report also revealed that a Houston spa and the Texans “enabled” Watson’s massage habit, with the team supplying facilities and nondisclosure agreements. It also found that Watson’s lawyer and the prosecutors at the district attorney’s office on the criminal cases had been in extensive contact leading up to the two grand juries. According to Vrentas, Rusty Hardin, Watson’s lawyer, “began a regular dialogue” with the Harris County sex crimes prosecutor in early 2022.
On Monday, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported that a decision on Watson could “bump up against” and potentially “overlap” with Cleveland starting training camp with its rookies and veteran players on July 27. According to Yahoo Sports, a possible explanation for the elongated time frame surrounding his punishment decision is that Robinson aims to give the league and Watson another opportunity to settle on suspension length in the coming week.
According to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, the NFL is reportedly seeking a year-long suspension for Watson. However, if Robinson rules that the lengthy suspension is the final verdict for Watson or NFL commissioner Roger Goodell intercedes to appeal her ruling as the final decision for Watson’s punishment, the quarterback and the NFLPA plan to file a lawsuit against the league in federal court, per Yahoo Sports. On June 27, previous settlement talks between the NFL and the NFLPA collapsed because of the league pushing for the full year suspension, per Breer.
The players association insisted on a lighter punishment, one that aligned with a precedent set in cases involving three of the NFL’s owners—the Commanders’ Daniel Snyder, Patriots’ Robert Kraft and Cowboys’ Jerry Jones.
In late June, Robinson listened to arguments from the NFL, the NFLPA and Watson during the league’s hearing. According to Breer, the NFL presented the cases of five women during the three-day-long proceedings.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Robinson did not give an exact timeline of when she would announce her ruling. If Watson is suspended, veteran Jacoby Brissett will move into starting spot for Cleveland, according to the Associated Press. In addition, the Browns also signed former top-10 draft pick Josh Rosen to a one-year deal on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 25-year-old joins Brissett and Josh Dobbs in the Browns quarterback room.
A clause built in Watson’s contract mandates that he will lose $55,556 each game he is suspended for in the 2022 season.
Watson has denied all allegations against him, and two Texas grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges. Cleveland traded for Watson in March, signing him to a five-year contract worth a guaranteed $230 million.
