Will Watson’s suspension hold up?
Browns QB receives six games for violating personal conduct policy
The NFL punishment wheel of fortune this time landed on six — a six-game suspension for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, the serial massage-arranger. At least for now. On Monday morning according to multiple reports, Judge Sue L. Robinson informed both the league and the NFL Players Association (representing Watson) that she has decided a six-game suspension without pay is apropos for Watson’s violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Robinson, a retired U.S. district court judge in Delaware, was jointly appointed as disciplinary offer on this matter by both the league and players union.
Robinson wrote in her decision, per NFL Network, that Watson’s “pattern of behaviour was egregious,” but his behaviour was “non-violent sexual conduct.”
Early last year some two dozen athletic massage therapists filed civil suits in Houston, alleging sexual harassment — and in some cases sexual assault — on Watson’s part, during private sessions he arranged on his own.
No criminal charges have been, or are expected to be, filed against the sixth-year pro quarterback, after two Houston grand juries that weighed police evidence both declined to recommend indictments.
All but one of Watson’s eventual 24 sexual-misconduct accusers who’d been suing him for civil damages have settled, as have all 30 of the women who sued Watson’s former team, the Houston Texans, as being culpable in his alleged disturbing sexual misconduct.
The New York Times reported in June that Watson had arranged private massages away from club facilities with at least 66 different women over a 17-month period from 2020 to 2021 and that the Texans provided him with non-disclosure agreements to give to each therapist.
Watson’s camp has argued that any sexual activities that might have occurred between the passer and any therapist were wholly consensual.
Reports Monday morning said that as part of Robinson’s ruling, Watson is forbidden from arranging massages outside of an NFL club setting.
“I never assaulted anyone. I never disrespected anyone,” Watson told reporters in June. “I never forced anyone to do anything.”
The league reportedly has been seeking a full-season suspension. The NFLPA has countered that Watson deserves no suspension whatsoever.
Both the league and the players union have three days to file an appeal of Robinson’s determination, per new rules of the player disciplinary process agreed to by both sides in the 2020 collective bargaining agreement. This is the first time the league itself has not issued an initial player punishment.
The players union announced ahead of time, on Sunday night, a half-day before Robinson’s ruling leaked Monday, that it would not appeal her punishment.
The NFL did not immediately indicate whether it would appeal. If it does, and ditto if the NFLPA had decided to do so, then NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, or his personally chosen designee, would hear the appeal and make a final, binding ruling.