Sue Robinson’s long-awaited ruling came out on Monday, but it may be just part of this saga, rather than a conclusion. The NFL and NFLPA have 8 a.m. CT Thursday to file appeals, via ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter (on Twitter).
Although the NFLPA has said it will not appeal Robinson’s decision, the union is unlikely to back down if the NFL appeals. Roger Goodell or a designated commissioner will oversee the appeal as outlined in the 2020 CBA. The NFLPA is committed to taking this matter to court if Goodell lifts this ban by a full season.
An appeal is being considered by the NFL. His statement indicated that a review of Robinson’s decision was ongoing (Twitter link). While the NFL has made no secret of its push for a season-long suspension, the NFLPA is still unhappy with Robinson’s six-game suspension, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The Union “strongly supports[s]” Watson should not have been suspended because of his alleged sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct against more than 20 women.
In his report, Robinson called Watson’s pattern of nonviolent sexual behavior “more egregious than any reviewed by the NFL.” Watson denied all allegations of wrongdoing, but the report stated that “it is difficult to give weight to a complete denial when weighed against the credible testimony of investigators who interviewed the therapists and other third parties.” Robinson’s ruling also barred Watson to visit a massage therapist who is not approved by the team for the rest of his career.
Robinson sided with the NFL, saying Watson violated the personal conduct policy on all three counts (sexual assault, conduct that endangers the welfare and safety of an individual, and conduct that undermines the integrity of the NFL), tweeted Jake Trotter of ESPN.com. The gray area of what’s considered non-violent sexual behavior came into play in regards to the six-game suspension, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noted that Robinson’s findings — including a passage that deemed it more likely Watson to have lied to NFL investigators — could point to Goodell having ample reason to increase the length of the Browns quarterback’s suspension.
Given the NFL’s push for a year-long ban and its efforts to protect itself from PR backlash, it’s not hard to see a scenario where Goodell follows through by adding games to Watson’s suspension. That would open the door to a backlash from the NFLPA, which moves this to court. The CBA and recent precedent won’t side with the union in court, but an ongoing lawsuit could delay Watson’s ban. Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott were able to play under penalties; Eventually, Watson can do the same. However, Brady and Elliott ultimately served out their commissioner-imposed suspensions.
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