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Deshaun Watson returns from ban, declines to express remorse

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HOUSTON (AP) — Deshaun Watson signed autographs, posed for selfies, ignored the boos and earned a sloppy win.

Again, he declined to express remorse for behavior that earned him an 11-game suspension.

Back in his old home to play his first game in 700 days, Watson showed plenty of rust debuting with Cleveland, but the Browns didn’t need him to do much in a 27-14 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

After signing jerseys for Texans and Browns fans and taking pictures with a few more before the game, Watson was overwhelmed with boos once it started. He heard jeers before each snap in the first half and for much of the afternoon.

“They’re supposed to boo. I’m a Cleveland Brown now,” Watson said.

Watson has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual harassment and assault during massage sessions. He has settled 23 civil lawsuits brought by the women, while two others, including one filed in October, are pending.

Asked if he felt remorseful for his actions in his return to Houston, Watson said his legal team told him not to address questions about his suspension.

“Of course, it was a tough situation,” he said. “The suspension was tough but, at the same time, my main focus was just to try to be 1-0 as a football player today.”

Pressed further, Watson said: “I was just excited to be back on the field today. I did everything I was asked, was required to do. I did all that.”

Watson had several supporters in the stands before the game, while a group of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct also planned to attend. Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the women, didn’t respond to a text message seeking to confirm their attendance. He said earlier in the week about 10 women wanted to attend “to kind of make the statement, ’Hey we’re still here. We matter.’”

One fan walked into NRG Stadium wearing a derogatory shirt in Browns colors that includes text saying “I need a massage.” He was joined by a fan wearing Watson’s No. 4 Browns jersey.

Fans in the parking lot set up a fake massage table with a mannequin wearing a red Texans jersey and a towel.

The few fans in their seats when Watson and the Browns jogged onto the field about an hour before kickoff booed.

“It is what it is,” Watson said of the boos. “I can’t control what the fans do. My job is to go out there and execute.”

He didn’t do that too well.

Watson finished 12-of-22 passing for 131 yards and one interception. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback posted the worst passer rating of his NFL career at 53.4. The Browns (5-7) got two defensive touchdowns and a special teams score to beat the Texans (1-10-1).

After an interception gave the Browns their first possession at their 43, Watson threw two incomplete passes. He spun away from a sack on third down, and fans cheered when his throw to David Bell hit the ground.

Watson’s first completed pass on his third attempt resulted in a turnover when Anthony Schwartz fumbled after a 12-yard gain. Watson later drove the Browns to Houston’s 11 before throwing a pick in the end zone.

“We don’t expect him to be Superman after he hasn’t played in two years,” All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett said.

Watson sat out the 2021 season after demanding a trade from Houston. After two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him over allegations of sexual harassment and assault, the Browns traded several draft picks to get Watson and then signed him to a fully guaranteed $235 million contract.

During warmups, Watson signed jerseys for fans behind the end zone. An 18-year-old man from East Texas got Watson’s autograph on his Browns jersey. A couple from Houston wearing Texans jerseys also got Watson’s signature on their jerseys.

“We don’t really know what happened and everyone deserves a second chance,” said Sherry Holden, explaining her support.

Several Browns fans said they were uncomfortable rooting for Watson.

“I’m cheering for the jersey and the team but it’s hard to accept him as my quarterback,” said Brandon Collins, who traveled from Ohio for the game.

The NFL wanted to suspend Watson for at least one season but settled for 11 games after an independent arbiter initially gave him a six-game ban. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pointed to former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson calling Watson’s behavior “egregious” and “predatory” in seeking the full suspension.

Watson also was fined $5 million and required to undergo professional counseling and therapy. Watson has maintained his innocence but also apologized to the women he impacted and

The Browns went 4-7 with veteran Jacoby Brissett filling in for Watson.

Coach Kevin Stefanski committed to starting Watson next week and emphasized him getting his first game out of the way.

“He looked very sharp in practice and he’s excited for the next one so he understood this one was going to be different,” Stefanski said.

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi

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Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson suspended 11 games, fined $5M after settlement between NFL, NFLPA

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The NFL and the NFL Players Association on Thursday reached a settlement in the Deshaun Watson disciplinary matter, agreeing that the Cleveland Browns quarterback will serve an 11-game suspension after he was accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct during massage sessions, a league source told ESPN.

Watson will also pay a fine of $5 million that will go to charity, the source said.

The deal has not been signed but is agreed upon, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“I’m grateful that the disciplinary process has ended and extremely appreciative of the tremendous support I have received throughout my short time with the Browns organization,” Watson said in a statement released by the Browns. “I apologize once again for any pain this situation has caused. I take accountability for the decisions I made. My focus going forward is on working to become the best version of myself on and off the field and supporting my teammates however possible while I’m away from the team. I’m excited about what the future holds for me in Cleveland.”

Watson will be available to play for the Browns again in Week 13, when Cleveland faces his old team, the Houston Texans, on the road.

The settlement between the two sides heads off a ruling from former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey, whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed to oversee the NFL’s appeal of disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson’s decision that Watson be issued a six-game suspension.

Robinson, an independent arbiter jointly appointed by the league and players’ union, originally ruled on Aug. 1 that Watson would serve a six-game suspension but would not be fined for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, writing in a 16-page report that “the NFL carried its burden to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Watson engaged in sexual assault (as defined by the NFL) against the four therapists identified in the Report.”

Goodell, in explaining the league’s decision to appeal Robinson’s ruling, said that the evidence called for at least a full-year suspension.

“As we have previously conveyed, Deshaun and his representatives have abided by the NFL and NFLPA structure awaiting a final decision and we have respected the process,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “Now that a decision on discipline has been reached, we understand this is a real opportunity to create meaningful change and we are committed to investing in programs in Northeast Ohio that will educate our youth regarding awareness, understanding, and most importantly, prevention of sexual misconduct and the many underlying causes of such behavior. Since Deshaun entered our building, he has been an outstanding member of our organization and shown a true dedication to working on himself both on and off the field. We will continue to support him as he focuses on earning the trust of our community.”

Watson has been accused of sexual assault and other inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions in lawsuits filed by 25 women. The actions alleged in the lawsuits took place from March 2020 to March 2021, while Watson was a member of the Texans. One of the 25 lawsuits was dropped after a judge’s ruling in April 2021 that the plaintiffs needed to amend their petitions to disclose their names. Two other women filed criminal complaints against Watson but did not sue him.

Watson has settled or agreed to settle all but one of the remaining lawsuits, which remains pending. In July, the Texans reached settlements with 30 women who made claims or were prepared to make them against the NFL organization for its alleged “enabling” of Watson’s behavior.

Although two grand juries in Texas declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson earlier this year, the NFL had been investigating whether he violated its personal conduct policy since 2021. The league interviewed Watson over multiple days earlier this summer. The NFL’s investigators also spoke to several of the women.

In her report, which concluded Watson violated the personal conduct policy with “egregious” and “predatory” behavior, Robinson noted that an aggravating factor in her decision to suspend Watson for six games was his “lack of expressed remorse.”

After previously denying all wrongdoing and saying he had “no regrets” for any of his actions during the massage sessions, Watson publicly apologized to “all the women I have impacted” on Aug. 12, before starting Cleveland’s preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Watson has not spoken to reporters since the start of training camp.

The Browns traded for Watson in March, sending three first-round draft picks to the Texans. Cleveland then gave Watson a new five-year contract that was the richest deal in NFL history for any player.

Watson’s contract with the Browns guarantees him a league-record $230 million, with a base salary that will jump to $46 million in 2023 and a $44.965 million signing bonus.

Yet because Cleveland structured his contract to include a 2022 base salary of only $1.035 million, Watson was only going to lose $57,500 per game suspended, without the $5 million fine imposed in the settlement.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said at the start of training camp that Jacoby Brissett would become Cleveland’s starter in the event of a Watson suspension, and indicated recently that he’s “been very impressed” with Brissett thus far.

“Very comfortable with him,” Stefanski said. “I think he has a very good understanding of what we’re trying to do offensively.”

Despite being a backup for much of his career, Brissett has 37 starts with a record of 14-23.

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Browns To Consider Trading For Jimmy Garoppolo Pending Deshaun Watson Appeal

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The sagas surrounding Jimmy Garoppolo and Deshaun Watson have run their courses simultaneously during the 2022 offseason. Events in the near future could cause them to be intertwined to a greater extent than they already have been. 

Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports that the Browns “will consider acquiring” Garoppolo in the event that Watson’s suspension “significantly increases.” The latter was handed a six-game ban for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. That fell roughly in line with what the Browns had been anticipating, leading many to believe that they would turn to backup Jacoby Brissett for the beginning of the season.

As expected, however, the league has appealed the suspension. Just as it did during Watson’s disciplinary hearing, the NFL will once again push for a year-long ban while appealing to designee Peter Harvey. That process is expected to result in a significant increase in the number of games Watson will be made unavailable for. With the Browns built for immediate playoff contention, that would add to their level of urgency in acquiring a more proven signal-caller.

The possibility of Cleveland trading for Garoppolo isn’t new, of course. It was reported last month, however, that the Browns were not considering a move to land the veteran 49er. Garoppolo, 30, has one year remaining on his current contract with a non-guaranteed salary of just over $24MM. That figure has led to recent speculation that San Francisco will hold on to him as long as possible to see if any significant trade market materializes in the coming weeks.

On that point, NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco confirms that it is “unlikely at this point” that any team would trade for Garoppolo without him negotiating a new contract lowering his 2022 cap hit. The one potential exception to that, though, remains Cleveland; with nearly $49MM in cap space, the team could comfortably absorb Garoppolo’s contract and use him as a placeholder in Watson’s absence.

With the league looking to keep Watson sidelined during the preseason, an announcement on the appeal could be coming very soon. Once it does, attention will once again turn to the Browns’ QB plans, and where Garoppolo could fit into them.



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Cleveland Browns expect to start Deshaun Watson at quarterback in preseason opener at Jacksonville

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BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is expected to start Friday’s preseason opener against the Jaguars.

The team made the announcement Wednesday just before boarding a flight to Jacksonville, Florida.

Watson and the Browns are waiting to see whether he will be suspended longer than the six-game suspension he was handed for violating the personal conduct policy by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson last week.

On Aug. 3, the NFL appealed Robinson’s ruling, as it seeks a tougher punishment for Watson. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has appointed former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey to hear the appeal.

On Tuesday, Goodell told reporters that the league is seeking a season-long suspension because the quarterback’s actions were “egregious” and “predatory behavior,” as Robinson noted in her 16-page report. While issuing the six-game suspension, Robinson found that Watson had in sexual assault (as the NFL defines it), conduct posing a danger to the safety and well-being of another person, and conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL.

Goodell said he didn’t know when Harvey would make a ruling, though the CBA calls for the appeals process to be “expedited.”

Watson has been accused of sexual assault and other inappropriate conduct during massage sessions in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women. The encounters alleged in the lawsuits took place from March 2020 to March 2021, while Watson was a member of the Houston Texans.

One of the 25 lawsuits was dropped after a judge’s ruling in April 2021 that the plaintiffs needed to amend their petitions to disclose their names. In June, Watson settled 20 of the 24 lawsuits he was facing. He agreed Monday to settle three of the remaining four, according to Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the women suing Watson.

To this point in training camp, Watson has continued to get the overwhelming majority of the first-team snaps in practice over backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Coach Kevin Stefanski has not been specific about when Brissett could get more first-team reps, saying only that the Browns have a plan.

“I am confident in our plan,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, we will adjust based on information. I am comfortable in what Jacoby has done to date with his reps. He has gotten a lot of them. He has gotten some with the ones and some with the twos, and we will stick to our plan absent any new information.”

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Browns QB Watson suspended 6 games, NFL weighs appeal

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for six games Monday after being accused by two dozen women in Texas of sexual misconduct during massage treatments, in what a disciplinary officer said was behavior “more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL.”

The punishment handed out by the game’s disciplinary officer, former federal judge Sue L. Robinson, fell well short of what the NFL had asked for: an open-ended suspension of at least a year for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Watson, who played for 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 the treatments in 2020 and 2021.

The NFL has three days to appeal the decision.

“Although this is the most significant punishment ever imposed on an NFL player for allegations of nonviolent sexual conduct, Mr. Watson’s pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL,” Robinson wrote in the conclusion to her 16-page report.

Even though the only discipline in the collective bargaining agreement is a fine or suspension, Robinson mandated as condition of reinstatement that Watson should “limit his massage therapy to Club-directed sessions and Club-approved massage therapists” for the rest of his career.

She added that Watson must have “no adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit any additional violations” of the personal conduct policy.

The NFL Players Association has said it would abide by Robinson’s ruling. If either side appeals, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates will make the decision, per terms of the CBA. The union then could try to challenge that ruling in federal court.

The league had pushed for a suspension of at least a year and the $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 wasn’t public.

The NFL presented a 215-page report based on testimony from four of 12 women interviewed by league investigators, and 37 other third parties. Robinson determined, based on the league’s burden of proof, that Watson violated three provisions of the personal conduct policy: sexual assault; conduct posing a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person; and conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL.

Robinson noted the league acknowledged at the hearing that its recommended punishment was “unprecedented” and she concluded the NFL should not change its standards of discipline for nonviolent sexual assault without giving fair notice to players.

“Defining prohibited conduct plays a critical role in the rule of law, enabling people to predict the consequences of their behavior,” she wrote. “It is inherently unfair to identify conduct as prohibited only after the conduct has been committed, just as it is inherently unjust to change the penalties for such conduct after the fact.”

Robinson rejected Watson’s denials of wrongdoing and considered his “lack of expressed remorse” to be an aggravating factor.

“As to mitigating factors, he is a first offender and had an excellent reputation in his community prior to these events. He cooperated in the investigation and has paid restitution,” she wrote.

Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed $230 million, five-year contract, will lose only $345,000 if the suspension is unchanged because 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 said it is “reviewing Judge Robinson’s imposition of a six-game suspension and will make a determination on next steps.”

This was the first case for Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the NFL and the union to handle player misconduct — a role previously held by Goodell.

Watson can continue to practice and play in exhibition games before his suspension begins the first week of the regular season. He can return to practice in Week 4 and would be eligible to play on Oct. 23 when the Browns play at Baltimore.

He waved toward cheering fans while he and his teammates began their stretching period before practice Monday in Berea, Ohio. “We got your back, Watson!” yelled one.

After learning the ruling was imminent, the NFLPA issued a joint statement with Watson on Sunday night, saying they will not appeal and urged the league to follow suit. The union had argued Watson shouldn’t be punished at all because he was not convicted of a crime.

Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints brought by 10 of the women.

Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl pick with the Texans, has seen his playing career stalled by the allegations. He sat out the 2021 season after demanding a trade before the allegations came out.

In their lawsuits, the women accused Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will. One woman alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex.

Watson has denied all wrongdoing, insisting 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 June 21.

“This case started because one woman had the fortitude to step forward and make her voice heard,” said attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the women in the civil lawsuits. “Her courage inspired many others with the same experience. None of this saga would have occurred without that one brave voice. One person can make a difference.

Buzbee said that although some of his clients “have strong feelings” about the NFL’s proceedings, he noted that the civil process and the NFL’s disciplinary process “are very different.”

On the suspension decision, Buzbee noted that his legal team was not involved in that process.

“We don’t know what was presented to Judge Robinson by the NFL‘s lawyers. We don’t know how the NFL’s case was presented,” he said, adding that “only a small fraction of those women that we represent were ever spoken to by the NFL’s lawyers. Beyond that, we can’t speculate and have no comment on the decision.”

Watson’s high-profile case has renewed scrutiny of the league’s handling of player misbehavior, along with its support for women, and left the Browns wondering if they’ll ever find a franchise quarterback.

Since the trade, fans questioned whether the league had the authority to ban Watson from playing despite no criminal charges.

The league has been sensitive about its image and handing out the appropriate discipline for 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 Cleveland running back Kareem Hunt, among others.

The Browns were widely condemned for signing Watson. The team has been desperate to find a long-term answer at quarterback — they’ve had a league-high 32 starters since 1999 — and many questioned why the team would take on a player with so much baggage.

At 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 dais, where he was joined by Browns general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski. “I was raised differently. That is not my DNA. That is not my culture. That is not me as a person.”

He repeated those comments three months later at the Browns’ minicamp. However, a week later he settled 20 of the civil lawsuits. Any remaining lawsuits could still go to trial, 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 claiming the team ignored and enabled Watson as he harassed and assaulted them during the therapy sessions. Terms of the settlements were confidential.

Despite Watson’s legal entanglement, the Browns and several other teams pursued him after the first grand jury declined to indict him.

Initially, Watson turned down the Browns. But Cleveland owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam enticed him with the richest fully guaranteed contract in league history, to that point.

Watson had other offers but chose the Browns and waived his no-trade clause to join a team coming off an 8-9 season. Cleveland completed the deal March 18 by agreeing to send Houston three first-round draft picks and six selections overall for Watson.

An All-American at Clemson, Watson was drafted by the Texans with the No. 12 pick in 2017. He started six games as a rookie before passing for 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns in his second year.

Watson has developed into one of the league’s elite QBs, throwing for 4,823 yards and 33 TDs in 2020 despite playing on a Texans team that went 4-12.

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AP Sports Writers Tom Withers in Berea, Ohio, and Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed.

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Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson suspended 6 games for violating NFL’s personal conduct policy

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will serve a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy following accusations of sexual misconduct, disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson ruled Monday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Watson will not be fined, the source told Schefter.

Robinson’s comprehensive 15-page conclusion stated that though Watson violated the personal conduct policy, there was not enough evidence to justify an indefinite suspension, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The players’ union, in a statement Sunday night, made it clear that it will “stand by” Robinson’s ruling and urged the NFL to do the same.

Either side would have three days to submit an appeal in writing. In that case, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee “will issue a written decision that will constitute full, final and complete disposition of the dispute,” per terms of Article 46 in the CBA.

Watson has been accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women. The encounters cited in the lawsuits took place between March 2020 and March 2021, while Watson was a member of the Houston Texans. One of the 25 lawsuits was dropped following a judge’s ruling in April 2021 that plaintiffs needed to amend their petitions to disclose their names. In June, Watson settled 20 of the 24 lawsuits he was facing; on Monday, he agreed to settle three of the remaining four, according to Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the women suing Watson.

Last month, the Texans reached settlements with 30 women who made claims or were prepared to make claims against the organization for its alleged role regarding the allegations against Watson.

Robinson heard arguments from the league, the union and Watson’s attorney during a three-day hearing held in her home state of Delaware in late June. The NFL had been pushing for a suspension of at least a year, while the NFL Players Association and Watson’s attorney argued that the quarterback should not be suspended at all. The sides discussed a potential settlement all the way up through the hearing, but they could not agree to a deal.

In the days leading up to Robinson’s decision, the league and Watson’s side engaged in further settlement talks, sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano, but neither side ever felt they were close to an agreement. The most Watson’s side indicated it was willing to offer was a suspension in the range of six to eight games, according to sources. The best the league indicated it was willing to offer was a 12-game suspension and a significant fine — in the range of $8 million, sources said.

If his suspension is upheld, Watson will still be able to participate in practice during the preseason. He will also be allowed to return to the Browns to practice during the second half of the suspension, in Week 4, according to the CBA. But he will not be allowed to be with the team during the first half of the suspension.

Although two grand juries in Texas declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson earlier this year, the NFL has been investigating whether he violated its personal conduct policy since last year. The NFL interviewed Watson over multiple days earlier this summer. The league’s investigators also spoke to several of the women.

Watson has continually denied all wrongdoing and said he has no regrets for any of his actions during the massage sessions. Watson also said he cooperated with the NFL’s investigation and “answered every question truthfully” that he was asked by the league’s investigators.

The Browns traded for Watson in March, sending three first-round draft picks to the Texans. Cleveland then gave Watson a new five-year contract worth $230 million fully guaranteed, the richest deal in NFL history for any player.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said at the start of training camp last week that Jacoby Brissett would become Cleveland’s starter in the event of a Watson suspension. Through the first week of camp, Watson took the majority of the snaps with the first-team offense, but Stefanski indicated the Browns “may adjust” their plan in the wake of Robinson’s ruling.

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Overreaction Monday: Rich Eisen on Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Rams, & Tyreek – The Rich Eisen Show

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  1. Overreaction Monday: Rich Eisen on Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Rams, & Tyreek The Rich Eisen Show
  2. How NFL’s treatment of owners could impact Deshaun Watson’s future | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports NBC Sports
  3. MMQB’s Albert Breer: Ravens Want a Lamar Jackson Extension Before Training Camp | Rich Eisen Show The Rich Eisen Show
  4. PFT OT: Deshaun Watson latest; Snyder not testifying (FULL EPISODE) | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports NBC Sports
  5. The MMQB’s Albert Breer Talks Lamar, Mayfield, Watson & more with Rich Eisen | Full Interview The Rich Eisen Show
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Attorney Tony Buzbee – Houston Texans, others to be added as defendants in lawsuits against Deshaun Watson

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Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing all 24 women who have filed civil lawsuits against Deshaun Watson, said his law firm will “soon be joining the Houston Texans organization and others as defendants” in the lawsuits against the quarterback.

On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that the nondisclosure agreement that Watson gave to some of the plaintiffs to sign came from the Texans’ director of security, Brent Naccara. The Times also reported that the Texans provided a hotel room at The Houstonian hotel, where several of the massages took place.

“What has become clear is that the Houston Texans organization and their contracting ‘massage therapy company’ facilitated Deshaun Watson’s conduct,” Buzbee said in a statement. “In many of these cases, the Texans provided the opportunity for this conduct to occur. We believe the Texans organization was well aware of Watson’s issues, but failed to act. They knew or certainly should have known.

“We intend to make sure all involved in Watson’s conduct are held accountable, in addition to and including Watson himself.”

The Texans did not respond specifically to the allegations in the New York Times story, but have said in several statements that the organization was not aware of Watson’s actions until March 2021 when the first lawsuit was filed against the quarterback.

There were 23 lawsuits filed against Watson from March 16 to April 14, 2021. One was dropped after the judge ruled each petition had to be amended to include each plaintiff’s name. Last week, two more lawsuits were filed against Watson, bringing the total number to 24 active civil lawsuits.

Though two grand juries in Texas declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson earlier this year, the NFL is investigating whether he violated its code of conduct and interviewed the quarterback in person last month as part of its investigation. At the league’s spring meeting, commissioner Roger Goodell said he thought the NFL was nearing the end of its investigation but couldn’t give a timeline for when a ruling might be made.

Houston traded Watson to the Cleveland Browns in March after the first grand jury announced it would not indict Watson on criminal charges.

Watson has denied all wrongdoing.

“What I can continue to do is tell the truth,” he said on March 25, his first and only media interview since joining the Browns. “And that is I have never assaulted, disrespected or harassed any woman in my life.”

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Deshaun Watson appears to address bombshell report on Instagram

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Deshaun Watson appeared to address “rumors” in a cryptic post Tuesday on his Instagram Story — the same day a new report alleged that the Browns quarterback arranged massages with “at least” 66 different women over a 17-month period.

“See, the blogs can’t break me down, see, I’m the voice, I don’t reply. But the rumors y’all done heard, I’ma humbly deny, yeah, yeah,” the lyrics quoted on Watson’s Instagram Story read.

The lyrics in Watson’s post are from the song “Rich Off Pain” by Lil Durk and Lil Baby, featuring Rod Wave.

The post in question arrived shortly after The New York Times published a report Tuesday claiming how Watson used “at least” 66 female massage therapists between the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2021.

Watson currently faces 24 active civil lawsuits against him alleging sexual misconduct. 

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson appeared to address “rumors” on Tuesday following a bombshell report from The New York Times
Diamond Images/Getty Images
Deshaun Watson quoted lyrics in an Instagram Story on Tuesday
Instagram/Deshaun Watson

The NFL is in the midst of its own investigation into 22 lawsuits by women — all of whom are massage therapists — which became public in March 2021. An additional two lawsuits recently came to light after two of Watson’s accusers spoke out on HBO’s “Real Sports,” which aired in May.

Ashley Solis, who was the first of the initial 22 women to file a lawsuit against the former Texans quarterback, detailed her allegations of sexual misconduct against Watson during the program.

Watson’s post comes two months after his introductory with the Browns, who traded for the former first-round pick in March and signed him to a record five-year, $230 million contract fully guaranteed.

Deshaun Watson speaks during his introductory press conference with the Browns in March 2022
Getty Images

Cleveland acquired Watson in a trade from the Texans after two separate grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges in relation to the ongoing 22 civil lawsuits against him alleging sexual misconduct. 

Watson has continued to deny any wrongdoing since the allegations were made public last March.

The Pro Bowl quarterback, 26, has been present at the Browns’ scheduled offseason activities. Watson also hosted a number of his Browns teammates on offense in the Bahamas last month to work out and bond before the start of the team’s organized team activities, according to ESPN.

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Latest On Browns’ Baker Mayfield Trade Talks, Deshaun Watson Deal

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The flurry of quarterback moves has left the Browns with few options regarding their previous starter. The team is not planning to hold onto Baker Mayfield in hopes of an injury changing the marketplace, preferring to give him a fresh start immediately.

Cleveland hopes to unload Mayfield soon, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes in an expansive piece, but the team should not be expected to receive a great return. In addition to the reduced market, the Browns are not interested in paying part of Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM) to facilitate a trade, Cabot adds. Mayfield requested a trade shortly before the Browns made their historic offer to Deshaun Watson.

Despite Sam Darnold fetching three draft choices — including a 2022 second-rounder — from the Panthers last year, the Browns have limited options for their more proven starter. Darnold’s disappointing season notwithstanding, the Panthers are not believed to be interested in Mayfield. The Seahawks do still appear on the radar, with Cabot indicating they have inquired on the disgruntled QB and may become more open to a deal at a certain price point. The Browns are not expecting a first-round pick here; they would need to explore another avenue to recoup one of the first-rounders they lost by trading for Watson.

While this saga is not at the point where the Browns are considering releasing Mayfield, Cabot adds if that were to happen the Steelers would be interested (video link). Pittsburgh gave Mitchell Trubisky a two-year contract, but his barely $7MM-per-year salary leaves the team open to exploring other options or drafting a passer early.

Although the Watson-to-Cleveland buzz picked up after the Combine, Cabot reports the Browns informed Mayfield’s camp in Indianapolis they would only attempt to replace him with an elite QB like Watson or Russell Wilson. After the Browns informed him they would aim to accommodate Mayfield in a trade, the QB did not list the Lions, Panthers or Texans as desirable spots and was instead intrigued by the Colts. Indy discussed Mayfield with Cleveland but made a deal to acquire Matt Ryan.

Additionally, Cabot reports Mayfield’s trade request did not spur the Browns to make their monster offer for Watson, who is now signed to a $230MM fully guaranteed contract. Watson did narrow his list to the Falcons and Saints, but his camp is believed to have brought the Browns back into the mix. Cleveland’s fully guaranteed proposal partially surfaced to convince Watson to play in a cold-weather city.

That process — and the subsequent QB decisions from Indy, Atlanta and New Orleans — has left Mayfield and with few options. Jimmy Garoppolo‘s status further complicates the Mayfield matter, as does the surgery Mayfield underwent on his non-throwing shoulder. The coming days could determine how much the Seahawks truly like Drew Lock, as they have indicated at every turn since acquiring him, or if they are willing to part with modest draft capital for a more experienced option.



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