Browns QB Watson suspended for 6 games
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 threeday 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 215page 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.”
• Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray tested positive for COVID-19.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection tested positive on Sunday. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said that Murray was experiencing “minor” symptoms. The coach added that Murray will miss a minimum of five days unless he tests negative before that time.
• Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tested positive for COVID-19, the team said. The Seahawks issued a statement before their fifth training camp practice started. The team said Carroll — who is fully vaccinated — tested positive on Sunday and is experiencing mild symptoms and is remaining at home. Carroll intends on participating in team meetings virtually until he is cleared to rejoin the team. Carroll is the oldest coach in the league and will turn 71 in mid-September.
Norman: Tiger turned down $700M from LIV
Tiger Woods turned down an offer that Greg
Norman says was “somewhere in that neighborhood” of $700 million to $800 million to take part in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series.
During an appearance on Fox News with Tucker Carlson that aired Monday night, Norman confirmed what he told the Washington Post in a story two months ago. Norman told the Post in June the offer was “mind-blowingly enormous; we're talking about high nine digits.”
Woods has been opposed to LIV Golf since late last year, and he delivered his strongest comments at the British Open when he said players who took the money funded by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund had “turned their back” on the PGA Tour that made them famous.
When an offer was made to Woods was not clear.
“That number was out there before I became CEO. So that number has been out there, yes,” Norman said in the Fox News interview, which took place Sunday at Trump National in Bedminster, N.J., where the third LIV Golf Invitational was held.
“And, look, Tiger is a needle-mover and of course you have to look at the best of the best,” Norman said. “So they had originally approached Tiger before I became CEO. So, yes, that number was somewhere in that neighborhood.”
• Luke Donald jumped at a second chance to be Ryder Cup captain for Europe, taking over just 14 months before the 2023 matches in Italy without knowing whether players who sign up for the Saudi riches of LIV Golf will be available to him.
Donald knew only that unlike Henrik Stenson, stripped of the captaincy for signing up with the LIV Golf rival league, he wouldn't be going anywhere. “I'm giving you my word that I will be here for the next 14 months,” Donald said in a video call. “I'm excited about this opportunity. I really am. The Ryder Cup means so much to me and I'm not going to take this lightly. So I will see you in Rome.”
Venus Williams loses in singles return
Venus Williams lost to Canadian Rebecca Marino in her return to singles tennis after almost a year away. The seven-time Grand Slam champion lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the Citi Open in Washington.
• Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will extend his Formula One career by joining Aston Martin next season. The 41-year-old Spaniard will replace Sebastian Vettel, who announced his retirement last week.
• Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi says he thinks name, image and likeness rules were “probably” violated over the spring, not so subtly hinting those violations led to star wide receiver Jordan Addison's decision to transfer to USC.
Without naming the Trojans and Addison specifically, Narduzzi said he doesn't think “there's any question” his players were “tempted with (NIL inducements) one way or the other.”
Addison, who won the Biletnikoff Award last December given annually to the nation's best receiver, entered the transfer portal just before the May 1 deadline and officially transferred to USC later in the month.
Narduzzi said he'd like to see some sort of guardrails on NIL rules and called the current set-up essentially a pathway for backroom deals that are difficult for schools to regulate.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
LAFC
Austin FC Minnesota Dallas
Salt Lake Nashville Portland Galaxy Seattle Vancouver Houston Colorado San Jose Kansas City
Philadelphia 12 2 9 45 40 15 NYCFC 12 4 6 42 41 21 CF Montréal 11 8 3 36 36 36 NY R. Bulls 10 6 6 36 34 25 Orlando 8 9 6 30 27 33 Columbus 7 5 9 30 27 22 Cincinnati 7 8 8 29 37 42 Chicago 7 10 6 27 24 28 New England 6 7 9 27 32 34 Charlotte FC 8 12 2 26 25 31 Inter Miami 7 10 5 26 26 37 Atlanta 6 9 7 25 29 33 Toronto 6 12 5 23 30 39 D.C. United 6 12 3 21 28 44
Three points for win, one for tie.
Note:
WNBA
x-Las Vegas x-Seattle Dallas Phoenix Sparks Minnesota
W
15 13 10 9 9 8 7 9 9 7 7 6 5 5
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W
Today's games
Friday's game
Saturday's games
Today's games
L
4 5 8 6 7 7 6 10 11 10 12 9 9 14
L
Colorado at New York, 4:30 p.m. FC Dallas at Seattle, 7 p.m.
Wednesday's games
D.C. United at Charlotte FC, 4 p.m. CF Montréal at Columbus, 4:30 p.m. Nashville at Portland, 7:30 p.m. Miami at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Seattle at Atlanta, noon
Chicago at Charlotte FC, 4 p.m. Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 4:30 p.m. NYCFC at Columbus, 4:30 p.m.
New York at D.C. United, 4:30 p.m. Miami at CF Montréal, 4:30 p.m.
New England at Orlando City, 4:30 p.m. Toronto FC at Nashville, 5 p.m.
Galaxy at Kansas City, 5:30 p.m.
San Jose at Austin FC, 6 p.m. Minnesota at Colorado, 6 p.m.
LAFC at Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m.
FC Dallas at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
x-Chicago x-Connecticut x-Washington
Atlanta
New York
Indiana x-clinched playoff spot
Wednesday's games
T
3 5 5 8 7 8 10 3 2 6 4 6 8 5
T
W
22 19 13 13 12 12
W
23 20 19 12 11 5
Pts
Indiana at Atlanta, 4 p.m. Sparks at New York, 4 p.m. Minnesota at Seattle, 7 p.m. 48 44 35 35 34 32 31 30 29 27 25 24 23 20
Pts
L
8 12 16 17 17 19
L
7 10 12 18 18 27
Las Vegas at Washington, 4 p.m. Sparks at New York, 4 p.m. Phoenix at Connecticut, 4 p.m. Dallas at Chicago, 6 p.m.
GF GA
44 47 35 33 30 29 39 30 29 25 28 25 36 19
GF GA
Pct
.733 — .613 31/2 .448 81/2 .433 9 .414 91/2 .387 101/2
Pct
23 28 30 25 29 29 35 28 27 38 37 29 45 42
GB
GB
.767 — .667 3 .613 41/2 .400 11 .379 111/2 .156 19