NFL Notes: League reviewing sex assault claims against Texans QB Watson,
DALLAS >> The NFL said Thursday that it was investigating allegations that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson sexually assaulted multiple women after three masseuses filed lawsuits against the star player.
In lawsuits filed this week, two of the woman claim that Watson touched them with his penis during massages last year, and the third alleges he forced her to perform oral sex.
Watson, 25, has broadly denied that he acted inappropriately and said he looks forward to clearing his name.
The women, who are not named in the lawsuits, are represented by Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee, who posted a picture Thursday of a letter from the NFL on his verified Instagram account that said the league had launched an investigation. Buzbee later deleted the post.
AMAZON GETS THURSDAY
NIGHT GAMES, NFL NEARLY DOUBLES TV DEAL >> The NFL will nearly double its media revenue to more than $10 billion a season with new rights agreements announced, including a deal with Amazon Prime Video that gives the streaming service exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football” beginning in 2022.
The league took in $5.9 billion a year in its current contracts. It will get $113 billion over the 11 seasons of the new deals that begin in 2023, an increase of 80%
over the previous such period, a person with direct knowledge of the contracts told The Associated Press.
Amazon has partnered with the league to stream Thursday night games since 2017, but it will take over the entire package from Fox, which has had it since 2018 after CBS and NBC shared the package for two seasons.
Games will continue to air on CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN, while ABC will have a limited schedule of games as well as returning to the Super Bowl rotation (two games) for the first time since the 2005 season. BILLS AGREE TO SIGN TRUBISKY >> The Buffalo Bills agreed to sign former Chicago Bears starter
Mitch Trubisky to a oneyear contract and serve as Josh Allen’s primary backup.
Trubisky was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft who has struggled through inconsistencies since leading the Bears to the playoffs in 2018.
Trubisky went 29-21 with Chicago and lost the confidence of the team prior to last season.
WR FULLER AGREES TO DEAL WITH DOLPHINS >> Receiver Will Fuller agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, who were eager to acquire a deep threat to stretch the field for Tua Tagovailoa. Fuller is coming off his best season of his five-year career, all in Houston, even though
he was suspended for the final five games for using performance-enhancers. He made 53 catches for 879 yards and eight scores, all career highs, and had five 100-yard games.
SOURCE: RAIDERS AGREE TO
2-YEAR DEAL WITH DRAKE >> The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $14.5 million with free agent running back Kenyan Drake to complement starter Josh Jacobs.
A person familiar with the deal says Drake will be guaranteed $11 million under the deal.
The 27-year-old Drake ran for 643 yards at an average of 5.2 yards per carry and added 28 catches for 171 yards receiving in eight games with the Cardinals.