NFLPA replies to NFL appeal of Watson ban
The NFL Players Association has filed a brief replying to the league’s appeal in Deshaun Watson’s discipline case.
Former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey now has the necessary paperwork to issue a ruling.
The players’ union announced the reply brief shortly before the deadline Friday, but didn’t release its contents because the matter is considered confidential.
Harvey was selected by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday to hear the league’s appeal of the six-game suspension given to Watson for violating the personal conduct policy.
The NFL said Friday there’s no timeline for Harvey to issue a ruling.
The policy says the appeal will be “processed on an expedited basis.”
Watson was suspended by inde- pendent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson after being accused of sexual assault and harassment by two dozen women in Texas. The allegations go back to when Watson was playing for the Texans.
Watson, who was traded to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by the women. Watson has denied any wrongdoing.
The NFL is seeking an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a fine around $8 million, a person familiar with the filing told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
49ERS: Kyle Shanahan didn’t pull punches when addressing his team’s propensity for, well, throwing punches.
After two brawls erupted at 49ers training camp on Tuesday, Shanahan halted practice in favor of a team meeting.
“I want everyone challenging each other,” Shanahan said Friday, recapping his message. “I don’t care how much crap each other talks. I don’t care how close they get to fighting. They can do whatever they want to get themselves to be as intense as they want and bring the best out of each other, which happens a lot that way. And it’s the same on the field.
“But once you throw a punch, you get ejected or you get a penalty, and we pride ourselves on — I want people to be irritants, I want people to get as close as they can to all that stuff. I want people to get right on the line where they’re about to black out, but you can’t black out on the football field or you cost your team.” — Jared Greenspan
BUCCANEERS: Seven months after he had knee surgery, Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin was back in pads on the practice field.
Godwin, who signed a threeyear, $60 million contract in March, worked out in full uniform at training camp Friday — running and catching passes during individual drills, but not participating in team periods.
CARDINALS: Arizona running backs coach James Saxon was charged in Indianapolis with two counts of domestic battery stemming from an alleged incident in May. One of the counts is a felony that includes domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old.
BRONCOS: Former NFL wide receiver Demaryius Thomas died of complications related to a seizure disorder, according to an autopsy from the Fulton County (Ga.) Medical Examiner’s office. Thomas died on Dec. 9 at the age of 33.
According to the autopsy report, the manner of Thomas’ death remains undetermined. It is unknown, too, if his condition stemmed from “natural causes or a sequela of head impacts.”