Editor’s note: The following story deals with sexual abuse and may be disturbing to some readers.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for six games Monday for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after sexual misconduct allegations were made against him by two dozen women in Texas, two people familiar with the decision said.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public. 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 massage therapy appointments in 2020 and 2021.
The NFL has three days to appeal disciplinary official Sue L. Robinson’s decision. The NFL Players Association has already said it will comply with her decision. If either party appeals, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates will make the decision under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The union can then try to challenge that decision in federal court.
During a three-day hearing before Robinson in June, the league had pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a fine of at least $5 million for the 26-year-old Watson.
Watson can continue to practice and play in exhibition games before his suspension begins in the first week of the regular season. He will be eligible to return on Oct. 23 when the Browns play at Baltimore.
After learning the decision was imminent, the NFL Players Association 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 awaiting the decision, Watson was in training camp with the Browns. He continued to take most of the reps with the first-team offense, which will be handed off to backup Jacoby Brissett while he’s out of the lineup.
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, a former U.S. district judge who was appointed jointly by the NFL and the union to handle player misconduct _ a role previously held by Goodell.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Texans, Watson has seen his playing career halted by allegations that he misbehaved with women during massage therapy sessions he scheduled via social media. He missed the 2021 season.
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.
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 sexual misconduct cases involving Baltimore running back Ray Rice, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Cleveland running back 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 press 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 brought up differently. It’s not my DNA. This is not my culture. That’s not who I am as a person.”
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 to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
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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