Editor’s Note: There are accounts of sexual harassment in this story. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 or that https://www.rainn.org,
Deshan Watson was handed a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after NFL and NFLPA-appointed disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson delivered her ruling on Monday.
even though Browns The quarterback will not be allowed to field for at least the first six games of the regular season, he still has a chance to start during the preseason.
a source told ProFootball TalkK Mike Florio said this week that Brown plans to use Watson during the preseason. It is unclear whether the team plans to start him in all three matches, but as of now, it is likely that Watson will take the field in his first preseason game against the Jaguars on Friday, August 12. If that happens, it would mark Watson’s first play since January 3, 2021.
However, the NFL on Wednesday appealed the suspension granted by Robinson, and the league is looking into an indefinite suspension for the quarterback. If that happens, Watson is likely not to be able to play in the preseason as the suspension will start immediately.
This week’s decision comes after the league’s investigation into allegations of sexual assault and assault against Watson. More than two dozen women have detailed graphic accounts of sexual assault and sexual assault that occurred during massage therapy sessions. The accounts include Watson refusing to cover his genitals in order to allegedly “touch” the quarterback. [a plaintiff] with his penis and trying to force her to do oral sex on him. ,
Starting in March 2021, 25 women filed civil lawsuits against Watson, and in April ’21 only one dropped their case due to privacy concerns. Watson, then in June ’22 agreed to settle 20 of the 24 civil lawsuits. Attorney Tony Buzby, representing the plaintiffs, announced the news, saying that the terms and amounts agreed are confidential and that he “will not comment further on the settlements or those matters.”
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Watson reportedly settled three of the remaining four civil cases against him before Monday’s disciplinary decision.
The quarterback has denied all charges against him, and two Texas grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges this spring.
Shortly after a Harris County grand jury returned nine “no” bills on nine criminal complaints against Watson, Cleveland traded the former Texan star, signing him to a five-year contract guaranteeing $230 million. . A clause built into the contract would only damage Watson $55,556 for every game in which he is suspended this season.
Additionally, Watson is set to lose his six-game check in this campaign, which equates to approximately $345,000 of his $1.035 million base salary.
Robinson’s decision included a mandate that Watson should receive all massage therapy from a Brown therapist.
In Robinson’s 16-page report, he differentiated between violent and nonviolent conduct, concluding that Watson’s behavior “does not amount to violent conduct that would require a minimum six-game suspension” which the league called. Established “the highest ever discipline for domestic or sexual violence and sexual acts.”
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