The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Browns' Watson apologizes `to all the women'
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson apologized Friday “to all the women I have impacted” after being accused by two dozen women of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.
Watson, who is facing a potential year-long NFL suspension, spoke before Cleveland’s exhibition opener in Jacksonville — his first game since Jan. 3, 2021, with the Houston Texans.
Watson was suspended six games earlier this month by independent arbiter Sue L. Robinson, who concluded he violated the league’s personal conduct policy with “egregious” and “predatory” behavior.
As part of her decision, the retired federal judge noted Watson’s lack of remorse.
He spoke before the team’s exhibition opener, a 24-13 victory against the Jaguars (0-2) in which Watson was roundly booed during three series of work. Fans in one end zone could be heard chanting vulgarities at Watson during his first drive.
The three-time Pro Bowler completed 1 of 5 passes for 7 yards.
Watson was asked in a pregame TV interview for his response to Robinson’s position that he hasn’t been contrite.
“Look, I want to say that I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation,” Watson said in the interview. “The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back, but I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward.”
Watson was accused of sexually harassing or assaulting the women during the therapy sessions in 2020 and 2021. He has always denied wrongdoing and grand juries in two Texas counties declined to indict him on criminal complaints.
The three-time Pro Bowler settled 23 of 24 civil lawsuits.
However, he’s still facing discipline from the league, which appealed Robinson’s penalty and is seeking a fullseason ban along with a significant fine over $5 million and for Watson to undergo evaluation and treatment before he could be reinstated.
The appeal is now with Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey attorney general appointed by Commissioner Roger Goodell. CHIEFS’ HALL OF FAMER DAWSON ENTERS HOSPICE » Len Dawson, the 87-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title, has entered hospice care in Kansas City.
KMBC-TV, the Kansas City station where Dawson began his broadcasting career in 1966, confirmed Dawson is in hospice care through his wife, Linda.
The MVP of the Chiefs’ 23-7 Super Bowl victory over Minnesota in January 1970, Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the Pete Rozelle Radio-television Award in 2012.
From Alliance, Ohio, Dawson starred at Purdue and was selected fifth overall by Pittsburgh in the 1957 NFL draft. After seeing limited time in the NFL in three seasons with the Steelers and two with Cleveland, he joined the Dallas Texans in the American Football League in 1962, reuniting with former Purdue assistant coach Hank Stram.
In addition to his work at KMBC where he was the station’s first sports anchor, Dawson was a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs’ radio network and hosted HBO’S “Inside the NFL” show.
HUNDREDS OF BLACK RETIRED PLAYERS ADDED TO DEMENTIA SETTLEMENT » Two years after a pair of former players sued the NFL over the treatment of Black retirees in the league’s $1 billion concussion settlement, hundreds of men whose medical tests were rescored to eliminate race bias now qualify for awards.
The newly approved payouts, announced in a report Friday, are a victory for NFL families in the decade-long legal saga over concussions. The 2020 lawsuit unearthed the fact the dementia tests were being “race-normed” — adjusted due to assumptions that Black people have a lower cognitive baseline score. Changes to the settlement made last year are meant to make the tests race-blind. The new results will add millions to the NFL’S payouts for concussion-linked brain injuries.
Preseason highlights
JETS QB WILSON INJURED IN PRESEASON GAME » New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson injured his right knee in the first quarter in Friday night’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jets held on to win 24-21.
After going back to pass, Wilson was flushed out of the pocket and scrambled to his right for 7 yards, but went down after the play. He appeared to injure his knee when planting to cut on Philadelphia’s grass field.
After being checked by trainers, Wilson limped to the sideline on his own power before heading to the locker room.
CARDINALS 36, BENGALS 23 » Jonathan Ward, trying to win a spot in a crowded Arizona backfield, ran for two touchdowns and the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Bengals in a preseason opener.