Lawsuits against Watson rise to 13
HOUSTON — Six more women on Monday filed lawsuits accusing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and harassment, bringing the total number of such lawsuits against the NFL player to 13.
The claims in the six new suits, which were filed in a Harris County state district court, are similar those in the earlier cases. One of the latest lawsuits was filed by a woman who alleges Watson assaulted her on March 5 in Atlanta and that his behavior “is part of a disturbing pattern of preying on vulnerable women.”
All of the women who have sued Watson are either licensed massage therapists or worked in a spa or similar business and claimed that Watson exposed himself, touched them with his penis or kissed them against their will. One woman has alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex.
All but one of the alleged assaults took place in Houston, with one woman flown in from Atlanta, according to the lawsuits. The first alleged assault took place in March 2020.
The 13 women, who have sued separately, have not been identified by name in the lawsuits and are represented by Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee. The women are each seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as court costs.
Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, declined to comment Monday on the latest lawsuits filed against his client. In a statement Friday, Hardin called the allegations “meritless.” He also said he would review the case before making more detailed comments about the “numerous, evolving allegations from Mr. Buzbee.”
Watson, 25, has broadly denied he acted inappropriately and said last week in a statement he looks forward to clearing his name.
Buzbee has said he planned to submit affidavits and evidence from several of the women to authorities in Houston. Buzbee did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.
The Houston police said Friday they were not aware of any contact with Buzbee to that point. Buzbee said he had been in contact with a police representative with whom he was familiar.
“It would be inappropriate for a district attorney's office to comment in any way on a civil lawsuit and we refrain from publicly discussing allegations in any matter until and if a criminal charge is filed,” said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. “We do this out of fairness to all.”
Watson is one of the league's top quarterbacks and led the NFL in yards passing last season. He signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans last offseason, but he became unhappy with the direction of the team as Houston sunk to 4-12 and he requested a trade in January.
The NFL has said it has opened an investigation of Watson under its personal conduct policy. Ultraviolet, a women's advocacy group, was critical Monday of the league's response.
“The NFL'S failure to take the mounting sexual abuse lawsuits against Deshaun Watson more seriously is an infuriating sign of the league's cavalier attitude toward violence against women,” the group said in a written statement by its campaign director, Elisa Batista. “Despite the severity of these allegations and the pattern that Watson targeted women massage therapists specifically, the NFL has taken zero action, insisting that the matter is simply ‘under review.' What's equally troubling is NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's indifference. For years, (Goodell) has turned a blind eye to violence and sexual abuse committed by players throughout the League.”
The group said Watson “should have been suspended immediately last week after the initial allegations of abuse emerged” and that Goodell “is not fit to serve as NFL Commissioner” and “must go.”