This morning, Deshaun Watson learned his fate, at least for now.
Judge Sue L. Robinson ruled that Watson will serve a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Watson will not be fined either.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Robinson concluded that while Watson violated the personal conduct policy, there was not enough evidence to justify an indefinite suspension.
The league now has three days to appeal the suspension.
On Sunday evening, the NFLPA and Deshaun Watson issued a joint statement stating that they would not appeal judge Robinson’s decision regardless of her conclusion.
In their statement, the NFLPA and Watson reiterated the facts in the case and process and then concluded with the following statement.
“This is why, regardless of her decision, Deshaun and the NFLPA will stand by her ruling and we call on the NFL to do the same.”
So now the ball is in the NFL’s hands and everyone must wait for commissioner Goodell’s next move.
The original criminal charges against Watson were dismissed by two courts in Texas. The complainants then filed lawsuits against Watson in civil court.
The number of complainants eventually grew to 25.
The cases took place over a year, between March 2020 and March 2021, while Watson was with the Houston Texans.
He was then traded to the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster deal where the Browns gave him a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal.
In June, Watson settled with 20 of the 24 women. That did not include the original complainant, Ashley Solis, who, along with four other women, refused to join the settlement.
Then last month, the Texans reached settlements with 30 of the accusers who filed lawsuits against the team, six more than the number of women who filed lawsuits against Watson.
The action didn’t stop there though.
ESPN noted that there were discussions between the NFL and Watson’s team, the league rumored to have wanted a 12-game suspension and a fine in the range of $8 million.
But now Watson was given a six-game suspension with no fine.
As of now, Watson cannot be with the Browns during the first three weeks of the season during his suspension. Then, over the remaining three games, he can practice with the team but not play.
His suspension, due to his well-crafted contract which pays him a base salary of only $1 million this season, will cost Watson $333,333 in salary (although some have it as high as $345,000).
We’ll continue to keep you updated as the story develops.
