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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suspended for 6 games, sources say


Cleveland Browns winger Deshaun Watson was suspended for six games Monday for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after two dozen women in Texas allege sexual misconduct against him, two people familiar with the decision said.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public. Watson, who played for four seasons with Houston before being transferred to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by massage therapists alleging sexual harassment and assault. in appointments in 2020 and 2021.

After learning of the impending ruling, the NFL Players Association released a joint statement with Watson on Sunday night, saying it would not appeal the ruling by discipline official Sue L. Robinson and urging union team followed.

“Every player, owner, business partner and stakeholder deserves to know that our process is legal and will not be influenced by the unusual opinions of the Federation office. “, the federation said in a statement.

If either party appeals, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee will make a decision, subject to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The union can then try to challenge that ruling in federal court.

While awaiting the verdict, Watson was in training camp with the Browns. He has gone on to make most of the rep with first-team offense, which will be moved to fallback to Jacoby Brissett while he is sidelined.

The union pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least a year and a $5 million fine against 26-year-old Watson during a three-day hearing before Robinson in June. The NFL Players Association argues that Watson should not be punished because he has not been convicted of any crime.

Two large juries in Texas have refused to indict Watson on criminal complaints brought by 10 women.

This is the first case for Robinson, a former US district judge who was jointly appointed by the NFL and union to deal with player misconduct – a role previously filled by Goodell.

A three-time Pro Bowl picker with the Texans, Watson has seen his playing career stalled by allegations that he acted inappropriately with women during massage therapy sessions. that he scheduled via social media. He sits out the 2021 season.

In their lawsuit, the women accuse Watson of exposing themselves, touching their penises or kissing them against their will. One woman accused Watson of forcing her to perform oral sex.

Watson has denied any wrongdoing, insisting any sexual activity with three of the women was consensual. He publicly stated his goal was to clear his name before agreeing to a secret financial deal with 20 women on June 21.

Watson’s high-profile case has renewed the league’s scrutiny of player misconduct, along with its support for women, and left the Browns wondering if they’ll ever find one. franchise quarterback or not.

Since the trade, Watson has been on public display, with fans questioning whether the federation had the authority to ban him from competition despite the absence of criminal charges.

The league has been sensitive about its image and issued appropriate disciplinary action to Watson after being criticized for its handling of previous sexual misconduct cases involving Baltimore’s rerun of Ray Rice. , Pittsburgh and Cleveland quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ran back to Kareem Hunt with the others.

For their part, the Browns were widely condemned for signing Watson. The team has struggled to find a long-term answer to midfield – they have had the highest 32 starts in the league since 1999 – and many have questioned why the team would use a player with too much baggage.

During his introductory press conference after he was traded to Cleveland, Watson was adamant about his innocence.

“I’ve never assaulted, disrespected or harassed any woman in my life,” he said at dais, where he was joined by Browns general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski. “I was raised differently. It’s not my DNA. It’s not my culture. It’s not who I am.”

He repeated those comments three months later in the Browns minicamp, insisting that his only goal was to clear his name. However, a week later, he had settled 20 civil lawsuits. Any remaining cases could still go to trial, but not until 2023 after both sides agreed to wait until after the upcoming season.

On July 15, 30 women settled lawsuits against the Texans after claiming the group ignored and allowed Watson to harass and assault them during therapy sessions. The terms of the settlement were kept confidential.

Despite Watson’s legal entanglement, the Browns – along with several other teams – went after Watson after the first grand jury refused to convict him.

Initially, Watson rejected the Browns. But Cleveland owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam enticed him with a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal.

Watson had other offers but chose the Browns and waive his no-trade clause to join a team that was about to have a disappointing 8-9 season. Cleveland finalized the deal on March 18 by agreeing to send Houston three first-round draft picks and six overall picks to Watson.

The Haslams family said any concerns they had about his character or behavior were allayed when they flew to Houston with Berry and Stefanski and spent time talking with Watson.

An all-around American at Clemson, Watson was drafted by the Texans with a pick of 12 in 2017. He started six games as a rookie before going over 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns. ball in his second year.

Watson has grown into one of the league’s elite QBs, throwing 4,823 yards and 33 TDs in 2020 despite playing on a Texas team that is only 4-12.



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