Deshaun Watson suspended for 11 games in 2022
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been suspended for 11 games and will be fined $5 million over sexual misconduct allegations.
According to a settlement announced on Thursday, the NFL revealed a new suspension, stating that Watson had violated their Personal Conduct Policy and will now undergo a “professional evaluation by behavioral” and follow their treatment program.
The 26-year-old quarterback was originally suspended for just six games by Sue L. Robinson, the disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and players’ union, before the NFL appealed.
It means the star QB will play in 2022 and is eligible to return to the field in Week 13 against, you guessed it, the Houston Texans.
Watson, drafted by the Texans in 2017, has been accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women, with the encounters cited taking place between March 2020 and March 2021. One lawsuit was dropped following a judge ruling in April 2021, and Watson settled 20 of the remaining 24 he was facing in June 2022.
That same month, the Texans agreed settlements with 30 women who made claims against the organisation for its role in supressing allegation against Watson.
According to ESPN’s John Barr on 31 July, three of the remaining four lawsuits against Watson have now been settled.
Watson’s future has been under extreme scrutiny for the past year. But finally we have some clarity this year. The Browns traded for Watson earlier in 2022. The deal was one of the biggest in the league’s history, with Cleveland sending three first-round draft picks to the Texans, while giving Watson a new five-year contract worth more than $230 million.
In a statement, Watson apologized for “any pain this situation has caused”, while stating that he has taken “accountability for the decisions I made.”
Another $2 million from the NFL and the Browns will be given to relevant non-profit organizations that work to minimize and prevent sexual misconduct and assault.
The suspension will begin on August 30.
More to follow.
