[81] After suffering broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung, Watson took a 12-hour bus ride from Houston to Jacksonville for a Week 7 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars rather than flying because of fears about the effects of air pressure on his chest. The league continues to investigate sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him. [136][137], On August 18, 2022, after the NFL and the NFLPA reached a settlement, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 regular season and was fined $5 million. Watson returned to Browns practice on Wednesday. Mr. Twenty-two of the 23 women who have sued Watson originally filed their lawsuits as Jane Does. Including this latest one, a total of 26 civil lawsuits have now been filed against Watson. Peoples-Jones has been targeted on 26 passes over the last five games, catching 17 of them for 204 yards. [119] Watson, who returned to the Browns' facility last month, sat out the 2021 season while his legal issues festered. We believe the Texans organization was well aware of Watsons issues, but failed to act. He was keeping plays alive, dodging tackles in impressive fashion, and picking up first downs with his legs when given an opening. [122] His season was, by all major statistical measures, the best in franchise history, leading in passing touchdowns, passing yards and passer rating. Hardin also said he has not heard from the NFL, which is investigating Watson for potentially violating the leagues personal conduct policy. The suit also claims that Watson later reached out to the massage therapist and apologized for his actions. [36] He was also named the 2015 ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year. to play better than last season and be a dominant force from the jump, based in large part on . Buzbee on Friday offered to release the names confidentially, but Hardin argued that the accusers being public could allow people to come forward with useful information about the women. This included consecutive 14-1 seasons in 2015 and 2016. PITTSBURGH The six-game trial run for Deshaun Watson as Browns quarterback came to an end in Sunday's 28-14 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers.Although "trial run" may not be accurate in the way to describe the last month-plus. [23] He did not play against Georgia State the following week, but led Clemson to a victory over state rival South Carolina the following week. Two of the women suing Watson for sexual assault and sexual misconduct went public in a news conference at Buzbees downtown Houston office Tuesday. They knew or certainly shouldve known., The Texans told the NYT via a statement that they first learned of the allegations against Watson in March 2021, have cooperated with investigators and will continue to do so.. [106], On April 28, 2020, the Texans exercised the fifth-year option on Watson's contract. While the league's last remaining teams are duking it out for a spot in Super Bowl LVI, the Cleveland Browns star's mind couldn't be . Content warning:This story contains details about alleged sexual abuse. When was the last game Deshaun Watson played? [138], On November 28, 2022, Watson was reinstated from his suspension and was officially added to the 53-man roster. In addition to the FBI, Hardin said hes had one meeting with the Harris County District Attorneys office regarding Watson. One requires plaintiffs to state their names if they are known. Following nearly a year and a half of accusations, denial, legal wrangling and speculation, Deshaun Watson is back on the football field. Like the previous 21 civil complaints, the latest civil lawsuit against Watson alleges he wore minimal covering over his naked body and aggressively directed the woman to massage his anus and groin. Mr. [93][94] Two weeks later against the Atlanta Falcons, Watson threw for 426 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions for a perfect passer rating in a 5332 victory, earning him his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Listen to what Brady Quinn, Lavar Arrington, and Jonas Knox have to say about the Deshaun Watson situation that . Though two of the women suing Watson have come forward, another 20 remain anonymous. He's dealing with a groin injury right now. Deshaun Watson is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL when he's on the field. Deshaun Watson last stepped onto an NFL field in the Texans' season finale of the 2020-21 season versus the Tennessee Titans. Watson threw 16 touchdowns in the month of October, setting the NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie in a calendar month. [37][38], Watson started his junior season positively with 248 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a narrow 1913 victory over the Auburn Tigers. the quarterback is now on a tropical vacation, cozying up with his . Watson does not currently face criminal charges. [154][155][156], On April 7, 2021, Nike and Beats By Dre suspended endorsement deals with Watson. Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson heads for the locker room after working out during training camp on Friday, July 29, 2022, in Berea. As for why Watson has worked with so many massage therapists including 18 who supplied statements of support for Watson Hardin pointed to the pandemic shutting down spas. Cleveland also receives a 2024 fifth-round draft pick as part of the trade. During both hearings and in his responsive filings, Buzbee suggested his clients could enter into a confidentiality or protective order rather than replead with her name attached to their complaints. A second grand jury declined to file charges againstWatson, the Brazoria County district attorneys office confirmed. [142], On March 18, 2021, a third civil lawsuit was filed against Watson, alleging that he had forced a massage therapist to perform oral sex on him before she blacked out in an office building in December 2020. (Photo of Deshaun Watson: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today). He previously covered the Houston Texans for The Athletic. Watson was the first player to accomplish this feat in the history of college football. Prior to that latest suit, all of the women who filed suit against Watson originally did so as Jane Does. He attended Gainesville High School from the fall of 2010 and played for the school's Red Elephants football team. According to court records, the first lawsuit was filed this day. Try a week on us. [109], In the Week 1 NFL Kickoff Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Watson threw for 253 yards, one touchdown and one interception and rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown during a 3420 loss. He also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown. According to the complaint, Smith, a cosmetologist, had three massage appointments with Watson. [78] Watson was ranked 50th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018 list. The quarterback was cleared of criminal charges related to the sexual misconduct allegations against him last week by a grand jury in Harris County, Texas. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Watson vehemently denied Buzbee's claims, stating that "I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect." In the motion, Hardin cites two Texas Rules of Civil Procedure that dont allow civil lawsuits under a pseudonym. Watson played in the Browns-Jaguars game Friday night, which marked his first appearance in an NFL game since the end of the 2020 season. He has denied all allegations. 2:16; See All. The Browns announced Wednesday that Watson will start Fridays preseason opener against the Jaguars, along with most of the teams starters. He finished with 125 passing yards, 67 rushing yards and a 49-yard rushing touchdown as the Texans won 139. Now we will learn the identity of at least one accuser. Watsons lawyers filed their response on Monday to the 22 civil lawsuits accusing the quarterback of sexual assault and misconduct, denying all allegations and specifically attacking the credibility of 16 plaintiffs. The 24 women filed lawsuits against Watson over the course of the last 15 months, accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage appointments. at his position. He entered the game after Tom Savage was benched at halftime and played for the remainder of the game. Goodell, who held the final say on punishments under the CBA at the time, ultimately suspended Elliott for six games. But after Watson started the preseason opener, Jacoby Brissett served as the Browns top quarterback for the rest of the summer. He returned for a game against Georgia Tech only to suffer an LCL strain, missing most of the game. The Week 13 game would be against his former team, the Houston Texans, on Sunday, marking exactly 700 days since he last played in a regular-season game with Houston ( Jan. 3, 2021.) 2022 NFL Enterprises LLC. Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) takes a snap during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. In September 2020, he signed a four-year contract extension with the Houston Texans worth nearly $111 million guaranteed. Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns in the game and ran for 73 yards in the losing effort,[32] though he surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark. [9] Gainesville head coach Bruce Miller had planned to start a rising junior at quarterback to execute his spread offense, but Watson won the starting spot, becoming Miller's first-ever freshman starting quarterback. Three days after holding a news conference in his downtown Houston office, Buzbee filed seven more lawsuits against Watson, bringing the total cases to 14. Sports Illustrated first reported the news Friday, with the Texans confirming it to The Athletic. December 6, 2022 30:13 The Last Senate Seat How Deshaun Watson Became the N.F.L.'s Biggest Scandal How one of the league's biggest stars has become perhaps its biggest scandal. Buzbee said in an Instagram post he was filing suit against Watson for alleged misconduct against women but offered minimal details. According to the report, Watson asked several of the therapists to sign an N.D.A. [26], In 2015, Watson led Clemson to an undefeated 120 regular season and a #1 ranking in the polls. (It's not the Browns)", "Deshaun Watson-vs.-Russell Wilson duel in Seattle was historic", "Deshaun Watson's record against every NFL team", "Deshaun Watson Knew He Had Problems. The therapist also claims that Watson had only paid half of the charges due for her services. One of the nine new civil suits alleges that Watson attempted to kiss a woman forcibly, and another suit alleges that he had attempted to assault the same woman on two separate occasions. Hardin said Watson, who is facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, has yet to meet NFL investigators because the league does not want to interfere in current criminal investigations. Watson is the subject of a 23rd active civil suit accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, according to Harris County court records. [145], By April 5, 2021, 22 lawsuits were filed against Watson. The 26-year-old quarterback has been accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen women in Texas. He has requested a trade but has continuously reported to the Texans facility to work out apart from the team. The NFL had recommended Watson be suspended for the 2022 season and not permitted to return unless he satisfies conditions imposed for reinstatement. Thats the risk you run., Tuegel said the rulings could have a chilling effect not only in this case but other cases too.. [151] Ashley Solis, the first of the women to identify herself, claimed that during a massage appointment at her home, Watson exposed himself and touched her hand with his erect penis before she ended the session and asked him to leave. He again came up short, as Louisville's Lamar Jackson was awarded the Heisman Trophy, finishing with nearly twice as many first-place votes as had Watson. The NFL launched an investigation into the allegations just days after the first lawsuit was filed against Watson. Two additional NFL players contacted the massage therapist several weeks later on Watson's recommendation. The NFL is investigating Watson for a potential violation of its personal conduct policy, and the Houston Police Department is investigating at least two criminal complaints against Watson, according to a response to an open records request. His first practice with the team will be on Nov. 16. Though the judges rulings only pertained to 13 plaintiffs, the rest identified themselves voluntarily. Our relationship with Watson as a brand ambassador was scheduled to end this spring prior to these allegations, and there are no plans for future engagements or contracts with him. In sexual assault cases, state law only offers minors an exception to these rules. Those are very concerning to us.. A league source told The Athletic that the NFL has not been given access to speak to many of the plaintiffs of the 22 civil lawsuits filed against Watson, or to relevant third parties. A spokesman for Hardins office said hell file a similar motion for all plaintiffs. 2. Watson still faces 22 active civil suits accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, but the Harris County District Attorneys Offices decision not to prosecute eliminates one barrier for teams considering trading for Watson, who has not played for Houston since requesting a trade during the 2021 offseason. [33] He set the record for most total yards in national championship game history, with 478 yards (405 passing / 73 rushing) against the nation's best defense. The following 18 women are voluntarily issuing statements in support of Deshaun with their names attached, Hardin said in a news release, adding that the women have collectively worked with Deshaun more than 130 times over the past five years., In one of three suits filed against Watson on March 29, bringing the total to 19, the complaint says Watson is deleting Instagram messages, and contacting those who formally provided him massages, in an attempt to settle., Like a lot of people, Deshaun regularly deletes past Instagram messages, Hardin said. [71] His performance earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronjreiss. We categorically deny that he has reached out directly to his accusers in an attempt to settle these cases.. In the 4234 loss, Watson finished 16-of-31 for 261 yards and five touchdown passes, tying an NFL rookie record for touchdown passes thrown in a single game. Hours after Nikes announcement, Reliant Energy announced it, too, was severing ties with Watson. Police did not detail the nature of the report or the investigation. August 18, 2022: The NFL suspended QB Deshaun Watson for 11 games. I come forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman. [111] In Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Watson threw for 359 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions during a 3014 win, the Texans' first of the season. In some of these massages theres going to be no question weve never run from it our first announcement has always been about consent, that on some occasions some active sexual activity would have taken place, Hardin said. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke publicly for the first time about Deshaun Watsons sexual assault lawsuits during ESPNs pre-NFL Draft broadcast Thursday night. As noted by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the Texans " have not given up " on Watson playing for the Texans in 2021. The plaintiff decided to come forward with the allegations after reading that Watson proclaims that he has no regrets and has done nothing wrong.. Theyre conducting a private investigation.. [134] NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the NFL would seek a full-year suspension including the postseason, calling Watson's conduct "egregious" and "predatory behavior". He missed last season under the "non-injury. Deshaun Watson's out of the NFL playoffs, but don't feel too bad for the guy the quarterback is now on a tropical vacation, cozying up with his smokin'-hot girlfriend, Jilly Anais. 2:18; Booger wouldn't be surprised if Browns win AFC North with Watson. Hardin said his office has received dozens of unsolicited phone calls, letters, emails and text messages from professional massage therapists who have worked with Watson, saying they never felt uncomfortable or that he demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage. Watson has met with investigators from the FBI but not the NFL, his attorney, Rusty Hardin, said at a news conference Wednesday. That said, he has not deleted any messages since March 15, the day before the first lawsuit was filed. [6] Disagreements with the Texans' front office and multiple sexual-misconduct lawsuits kept Watson out for the entire 2021 season and eventually led to a trade to the Browns in 2022, where he signed a five-year contract worth $230 million, one of the largest contracts in NFL history. [40] He totaled 378 passing yards and two touchdowns against Florida State on October 29, rallying to a 3734 win. The plaintiff in question alleges Watson coerced the woman to perform oral sex on him in December 2020. [117], In Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts, Watson threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns during a 2027 loss. Plaintiffs filed these lawsuits anonymously using pseudonyms as is their right. Texans general manager Nick Caserio stated that he would handle Watson's situation "one day at a time. Kevin Stefanski on Deshaun Watson's debut for Browns vs Texans: 'I think he will be ready to roll' Watson last played in an NFL game in January 2020 After news surfaced of the Texans talks with the Miami Dolphins regarding Watson growing serious, the Panthers maintained publicly and privately that they would not be factors for the Houston quarterback, subject to change. Deshaun Watson went 33-5 with the Tigers. The suit also claims that the owner of the company contracted to provide massage therapy for the Texans, Genuine Touch, stated concern to the team about Watson seeking massages via Instagram. Ten women have filed police complaints against Watson, a spokesperson for the office of Watsons lawyer, Rusty Hardin, confirmed to The Athletic. We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department.. Deshaun Watson, 27, is a star quarterback, one of the best in the N.F.L. The suit also claims Genuine Touchs massage therapists were well aware of what they described as Watsons sketchiness and attempts to push boundaries.. [97] During Week 8 against the Oakland Raiders, he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns in a 2724 victory. NFL interviews 10 plaintiffs accusing Watson of sexual assault, The NFL has increased Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watsons suspension to 11 games, filed a lawsuit against the Houston Texans alleging negligence from the team, Settlements have been reached in 20 of 24 civil lawsuits, Speaking to reporters for the first time since March 26, 66 massage therapists during a 17-month period, according to a report from the New York Times, Watson is the subject of a 24th active civil lawsuit, Watson is the subject of a 23rd active civil suit accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, is meeting to decide if charges will be filed against Watson, 22 active civil suits accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, Watson was cleared by a grand jury of criminal charges related to the sexual misconduct allegations, said at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday, Panthers are expected to be involved in trade talks as well, expected to be involved in trade talks for Watson, The Texans continue to engage in trade conversations regarding Watson, who is facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, 10 of them had met with NFL investigators, Hardins office released statements from 18 massage therapists, Unlike a formal law enforcement investigation, Friel and her team do not have subpoena power. Deshaun Watson is basically in the same position at the end of the year as he was at the start of it. The Last Time Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson Faced Off on the Football Field In October 2016, Lamar Jackson and Louisville traveled to Clemson, S.C. to take on Deshaun Watson and the. He said Watson gets two to three massages per week and often can only schedule them at the last minute because of his busy schedule. Prior to the judges rulings, Hardin criticized Buzbee for not releasing the names of plaintiffs, impeding Hardins efforts to investigate the allegations. Watson is also scheduled to be deposed on Friday in relation to some of those civil suits but is expected to plead the fifth amendment, according to a statement from Buzbee, the lawyer for several of Watsons accusers. Hes just trying to deflect.. There are currently no restrictions on quarterback Deshaun Watsons participation in Houston Texans activities, the NFL said in a statement to The Athletic. Hardin intends to represent Watson in those matters as well. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Nov 16, 2022 It's almost time now. We dont have all the access to that information at this point in time, and we pride ourselves on not interfering in that, being as cooperative as we can to make sure we get all the facts. He also rushed for 31 yards. He does what we ask him to do, and hes here every day and hes doing fine.. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Head coach David Culley said Tuesday that Watson is not injured and is participating in team meetings. Hardin noted that Buzbee, who frequently posted about the case on social media, is intent on conducting discovery by Facebook and trial by press conference., In some respects, publicity and advocating for your clients through the media is pretty necessary, said Dallas-based attorney Michelle Tuegel, who represented sexual abuse victims in lawsuits against USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. He also rushed 10 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns in the 3124 road victory.
