Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for six games Monday for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy following accusations by two dozen women in Texas of sexual misconduct during massage treatments, in what the disciplinary official said was behavior is “more outrageous than any considered by the NFL.”
Watson, who played four seasons with Houston before being traded to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by women alleging sexual harassment and assault during treatment in 2020 and 2021.
The NFL has three days to appeal the ruling by retired federal judge Sue L. Robinson.
“While this is the most significant punishment ever levied against an NFL player for allegations of nonviolent sexual conduct, Mr. Watson’s pattern of conduct is more outrageous than any the NFL has ever dealt with,” Robinson wrote in the conclusion of the her 16-page report.
Although the only discipline in the collective bargaining agreement is a fine or suspension, Robinson ordered as a condition of reinstatement that Watson “limit his massage therapy to club-directed sessions and club-approved massage therapists for the duration of his career.”
She added that Watson must not have “adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit additional violations” of the personal conduct policy.
The NFL Players Association has already said it will comply with Robinson’s decision. If either party appeals, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates will make the decision, according to the terms of the CBA. The union can then try to challenge that decision in federal court.
The league pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least one year and at least a $5 million fine for the 26-year-old Watson during a three-day hearing before Robinson in June, two people familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press. on condition of anonymity because the hearing was not public.
Watson, who signed a five-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $230 million, will lose just $345,000 if the suspension stands, as his base salary this season is $1.035 million. His $45 million signing bonus is not affected by the suspension.
In a statement, the league thanked Robinson for reviewing “the voluminous record … that led to the discovery of multiple violations of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy by Deshaun Watson.”
“In light of its findings, the league is reviewing Judge Robinson’s six-game suspension and will decide on next steps,” the statement said.
Watson can continue to practice and play in exhibition games before his suspension begins in the first week of the regular season. He could return to practice in Week 4 and be eligible to play on Oct. 23 when the Browns play at Baltimore.
He was in training camp with the Browns and continued to take most of the reps with the first-team offense, which will be handed off to backup Jacoby Brissett while he is out.
Deshaun Watson, left, and Jacoby Brissett talk before practice Saturday. (David Dermer/Associated Press)
After learning the ruling was imminent, the NFLPA issued a joint statement with Watson on Sunday night, saying they would not appeal Robinson’s decision and urging the league to follow suit.
“Every player, owner, business partner and stakeholder deserves to know that our process is legitimate and will not be tainted based on the whims of the League office,” the union said in a statement.
While the NFL pushed for a stiff punishment, the union argued that Watson should not be punished at all because he had not been convicted of any crime.
Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints filed by 10 of the women.
It was the first case for Robinson, who was appointed jointly by the NFL and the union to deal with player misconduct, a role previously held by Goodell.
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Texans, saw his playing career stalled by the allegations. He sat out the 2021 season after requesting a trade before the allegations surfaced.
In their lawsuits, the women accused Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will. One woman claims Watson forced her to perform oral sex.
Watson has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that any sexual activity with three of the women was consensual. He publicly insisted his goal was to clear his name before agreeing to confidential financial settlements with 20 of the women on June 21.
“This case started because one woman had the courage to come forward and make her voice heard,” said attorney Tony Busby, who represents the women in the civil cases. “Her courage has inspired many others with the same experience. None of this saga would have happened without that one brave voice. One person can make the difference.
Busby said that while some of his clients “have strong feelings” about the NFL’s procedures, he noted that the civil process and the NFL’s disciplinary process “are very different.”
“My role was to support my clients’ cause in a civil court—nothing more. I did this. I am extremely proud of these women and the efforts of our legal team. Agreements are confidential. I will not comment further on them,” he said.
Regarding the suspension decision, Buzbee noted that his team was not involved in that process.
“We do not know what was presented to Judge Robinson by the NFL’s attorneys. We don’t know how the NFL’s case was presented,” he said.
He added that “only a small percentage of these women we represent have ever spoken to the NFL’s attorneys. Furthermore, we cannot speculate and have no comment on the decision.”
The NFL is facing renewed scrutiny
Watson’s high-profile case has renewed scrutiny of how the league handles player misconduct, along with its support for women, and has left the Browns wondering if they’ll ever find a franchise quarterback.
After the trade, Watson was put on public display, with fans questioning whether the league had the right to ban him from playing even though there were no criminal charges.
The league has been sensitive about its image and imposing appropriate discipline on Watson after being criticized for its handling of previous cases of domestic violence or sexual misconduct against women involving Baltimore running back Ray Rice, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Cleveland’s Kareem Hunt among others.
For their part, the Browns were widely criticized for signing Watson. The team was desperate for a long-term answer at quarterback — they had a league-high 32 starters since 1999 — and many questioned why the team would take on a player with so much baggage.
During his introductory news conference after being traded to Cleveland, Watson was adamant about his innocence.
“I have never assaulted, disrespected or harassed any woman in my life,” he said at the podium, where he was joined by Browns general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski. “I was raised differently. That’s not my DNA. That’s not my culture. That’s not who I am as a person.”
Confidentiality Agreements
He repeated those comments three months later during Browns minicamp, insisting his only goal was to clear his name. A week later, however, he settled 20 of the civil cases. All other lawsuits could still go to court, but not until 2023, after both sides agreed to wait until after the upcoming season.
On July 15, 30 women settled lawsuits against the Texans after they claimed the team neglected and enabled Watson while he harassed and assaulted them during therapy sessions. The terms of the settlements were confidential.
Despite Watson’s legal entanglement, the Browns — along with several other teams — pursued Watson after the first grand jury declined to indict him.
At first, Watson rejected the Browns. But Cleveland owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam lured him with the richest fully guaranteed contract in league history to that point.
Watson had other offers, but chose the Browns and waived his trade clause to join a team coming off a disappointing 8-9 season. Cleveland completed the deal on March 18, agreeing to send Houston three first-round draft picks and six total selections for Watson.
The Haslams said any concerns they had about his character or behavior were put to rest when they flew to Houston with Berry and Stefanski and spent time talking with Watson.
An All-American at Clemson, Watson was drafted by the Texans No. 12 overall in 2017. He started six games as a freshman before passing for 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns in his sophomore year.
Watson became one of the league’s elite QBs, throwing for 4,823 yards and 33 TDs in 2020 despite playing on a Texas team that went just 4-12.
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