[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. Judge Dedra Davis of the 270th district court ruled on one case, and Judge Rabeea Sultan Collier of the 113th district court oversaw a hearing pertaining to 12 additional women, including Ashley Solis, the first woman to sue Watson. Miami wanted Watsons legal situation to be resolved to finalize a trade, according to sources. The NFL had recommended Watson be suspended for the 2022 season and not permitted to return unless he satisfies conditions imposed for reinstatement. Importantly, only two of the 22 lawsuits allege that Mr. Watson forced any type of sexual activity an allegation Mr. Watson again vehemently denies. As noted by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the Texans " have not given up " on Watson playing for the Texans in 2021. Deshaun Watson to Washington has always seemed like a longshot. They faced the #4 seed Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl, one of the two College Football Playoff semifinal games. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 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. The suit accuses Watson of groping Smith, exposing himself and repeatedly making sexually suggestive comments. Buzbee said his clients would comply with the NFLs investigation into the matter to the extent we can do so given our civil court obligations.. Buzbee said in an Instagram post he was filing suit against Watson for alleged misconduct against women but offered minimal details. We take that very seriously, Goodell said of the allegations facing the Texans quarterback. 5 Clemson Tigers rallied to beat . But how detailed of communication and the forum its being communicated in may have weighed in favor of the judge making this ruling. Watson excelled in his junior year, winning a state championship and earning accolades such as Junior All-American, 2014 Player to Watch and 2014 Top 100 Recruit. After Watson allegedly "forced Plaintiff's hand onto his penis" during the massage, he allegedly told her, "I will not have you sign an NDA, but don't ever talk about this." The prosecutor has told us from the beginning that ultimately when the investigation is over, their findings will be presented to a grand jury, Hardin said. [36] He was also named the 2015 ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Watson hasnt played since the 2020 season after being accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Watsons legal team, led by lawyer Rusty Hardin, cites friends and family members of the plaintiffs, as well as security guards at various spas, in its claims. This is about protecting not only the Plaintiffs but society at large as well, preventing further harm to other individuals, Buzbees team wrote in response to Hardins request for an emergency hearing. Watson was the first player to accomplish this feat in the history of college football. In the motion, Hardin cites two Texas Rules of Civil Procedure that dont allow civil lawsuits under a pseudonym. [138], On November 28, 2022, Watson was reinstated from his suspension and was officially added to the 53-man roster. Watson still faces 22 active civil suits accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in massage appointments. [27] After the regular season, the Tigers qualified for the ACC Championship Game, facing off against #10 North Carolina. Texans general manager Nick Caserio stated that he would handle Watson's situation "one day at a time. In the third quarter, he threw his first NFL touchdown, a four-yard pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. [87], In Watson's first postseason appearance, the Texans hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round. [25] He underwent surgery the Friday before Clemson's bowl game against Oklahoma. Watson was a full participant in the Browns offseason program and opened training camp as the first-team quarterback. He finished third in the balloting after Heisman winner Derrick Henry, an Alabama running back, and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey. Despite the off-field controversies and Watson's situation with the team, he participated in OTA activities and training camp, albeit on a limited basis. "[152], On April 9, Hardin claimed that some of Watson's massages did lead to some "sexual activity" but that it was consensual. [44], In the fall of 2016, Watson became the first player since Jason White in 20032004 to win the Davey O'Brien Award in consecutive years. Watson still faces 22 active civil suits accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, but the grand jurys decision not to prosecute eliminated one barrier for the teams considering a deal for Watson. He also rushed 10 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns in the 3124 road victory. Houston attorney Tony Buzbee represented the plaintiffs in all previous lawsuits against Watson, all but one of which has been settled. However, regardless of the teams they have played or how they . Well, Im glad to hear they are. [107] On September 5, Watson signed a four-year, $177.5 million contract extension with $111 million in guarantees, keeping him under contract through the 2025 season. Deshaun Watson last stepped onto an NFL field in the Texans' season finale of the 2020-21 season versus the Tennessee Titans. Sunday, though, will mark Watson's fifth start for the Browns when they travel to face the Washington Commanders, a 7-7-1 team still in the mix for the final NFC wild card spot. 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. The Texans continue to engage in trade conversations regarding Watson,with one source characterizing discussions with the Miami Dolphinsas serious. He was also named winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was the first repeat winner of the Manning Award. The league continues to investigate sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him. The 22 active civil suits allege Watson forced two women to perform oral sex, ejaculated on three women and in front of three others, groped four women and kissed another woman unprompted upon arrival for a massage appointment. 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. In his first game in 700 days, Watson posted the worst passer rating of his NFL career at 53.4, throwing for 131 yards and one interception in the 2714 win. According to a statement from the league, Commissioner Roger Goodell will determine who will hear the appeal. [112] In Week 6, a 3642 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Watson was 28-of-37 for 335 yards and four passing touchdowns. [80], In the season opener on September 9 against the New England Patriots, Watson returned from injury and threw for 176 yards with a touchdown and an interception and rushed for 40 yards as the Texans lost 2720. The Athletics Jeff Howe reported it had been shaping up this way for quite some time on Watson not moving to the Dolphins. [140], On March 16, 2021, a Houston massage therapist filed a civil lawsuit delivered by attorney Tony Buzbee against Watson, claiming that Watson had touched her with the tip of his erect penis while asking her for sex during a visit to her home for treatment in March 2020. The incident allegedly occurred in California, just the second of the 14 allegations to occur outside the Houston area. We believe the Texans organization was well aware of Watsons issues, but failed to act. [53], Watson was projected as a first-round pick by the majority of scouts and analysts. 2:16; See All. Harris County presented nine complaints against Watson to that grand jury. Buzbee and Hardin agreed to consolidate all future pre-trail matters for the 22 lawsuits under the 113th civil court, where the first case was filed. The remaining plaintiffs voluntarily identified themselves including one woman who filed a new suit, the 23rd against Watson after those judges rulings. Prior to this, the Texans only other statement on the matter said the team would stay in close contact with the NFL as it investigated the matter. And that's what I probably think about more than anything. Watson, who has a no-trade clause, has been inactive for all six games this season. 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. [149][150] On April 2, the HPD announced an investigation of Watson after a complainant filed an official report. The Panthers are expected to be involved in trade talks as well. Until yesterday, I did not know that they were also apparently and I have no reason to doubt this investigating Mr. Buzbees allegations, Hardin said. As such, if Mr. Watson is ever to have a chance at properly defending himself, he can no longer refrain from requesting that the Court mandate that Plaintiff identify herself as required by the law.. In an interview with The Athletic, Buzbee denied the FBI is investigating any of his clients for extortion. A massage therapist alleges in the suit that Watson pressured her into oral sex during a session in December 2020. [144], On March 22, 2021, a 14th lawsuit was filed by a woman who called Watson a "serial predator". Follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronjreiss. The Dolphins wont trade for the Texans quarterback before Tuesdays deadline expires, according to a source. We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department.. A third hearing, which was scheduled for Friday afternoon, was canceled after a 14th woman agreed to attach her name to her complaint. [7][8], Watson was born in Gainesville, Georgia on September 14, 1995, to Deann Watson and Don Richardson. She stated: "People say that I'm doing this just for money. I never assaulted, disrespected or harassed anyone, Watson said. Multiple other sources toldThe Athletica deal did not appear to be imminent. This marked the second-most lucrative contract in NFL history after that of Aaron Rodgers. To understand how things got to where they are, check out the below timeline, which will be updated as new information emerges. Mr. Deshaun Watson went 33-5 with the Tigers. A. March 21, 2022: The Houston Texans traded QB Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns. He entered the game after Tom Savage was benched at halftime and played for the remainder of the game. Police in North Olmstead, Ohio, a suburb of . February 5, 2018: The Houston Texans activated QB Deshaun Watson. ", "Texans GM on QB Deshaun: 'One Day at a Time', "Texans' Deshaun Watson: Sitting again Sunday", "Deshaun Watson trade terms get changed at last second with Browns handing over a bonus draft pick to Texans", "Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson suspended six games for violating NFL's personal-conduct policy", "Deshaun Watson at practice Monday, expected to participate through all preseason", "NFL to appeal Browns QB Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension", "NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says evidence calls for at least full-year suspension for Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson", "Former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey selected to hear NFL's appeal of Deshaun Watson decision", "NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell designates former NJ attorney general Peter C. Harvey to hear appeal of Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension", "Report: Browns' Deshaun Watson Suspended 11 Games, Fined $5M in Settlement with NFL", "Browns activate Watson after ban, cut QB Dobbs", "Deshaun Watson returns from ban with some support, many boos", "Alleged details emerge in sexual assault suit against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson", "2nd lawsuit filed against Texans' Deshaun Watson alleging sexual harassment, assault", "3rd civil suit is filed vs. Deshaun Watson and NFL is investigating allegations of sexual assault, harassment", "As Deshaun Watson's agent sounds off, an attorney for 12 alleged victims says info will be turned over to police", "Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson called 'serial predator' in lawsuit No. Laura Baxley wrote a letter to Watson that was read by attorney Cornelia Brandfield-Harvey, an associate at Buzbees law firm. (Photo of Deshaun Watson: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today). Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns[1] of the National Football League (NFL). The proposal was handed down by the NFL and NFL Players Associations appointed disciplinary officer, Sue L. Robinson, after weeks of deliberation following a hearing with Watson in July. [123] He became the first player to lead the league in passing yards on a team with at least 12 losses since Jeff George of the Oakland Raiders in 1997. After the Panthers benched Sam Darnold early in the fourth quarter of a 25-3 loss to the Giants, sources say they expect the Panthers to be involved in the Watson conversation leading to the trade deadline, which is Nov. 2. [21][22] As a result of the injury, he missed games against Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest. Hardin said during the hearing in front of the 113th district court that Deshaun Watson is not responsible for third-party crazies out there. He also said keeping the accusers names private would result in a mountain of information we may not receive. Hardin claimed his office received useful information about Solis and Baxley after they went public. We couldnt and shouldnt have to.. [102] He finished the season with 3,852 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions along with 413 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He was traded to Cleveland in a controversial. [121], Watson finished the 2020 season with 4,823 passing yards (the most in the NFL), 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Deshaun Watson last played game. Cleveland also receives a 2024 fifth-round draft pick as part of the trade. Deshaun Watson is in line to be suspended six games in the 2022 season for violating terms of the NFLs personal conduct policy. Watson was the third quarterback taken in the draft behind Mitchell Trubisky, who went second overall to the Chicago Bears, and Patrick Mahomes, who went tenth overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. 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. Buzbee represents the 24 women who have filed civil lawsuits against Watson. He argued making the womens names public will expose them to online harassment and could result in others with similar names being harassed as well. Watson returned to Browns practice on Wednesday. [104] He finished the game with 247 passing yards and a touchdown along with 55 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. [42][43] On November 26, he passed for 347 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in a 567 victory over South Carolina. [48] Watson completed 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns against the nation's top-ranked defense, including the last-second game-winning pass to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. On that date he still faced 22 civil lawsuits, many alleging sexual misconduct, and assault. Orlovsky reacts to Deshaun Watson's introductory news conference with Browns. A grand jury in Brazoria County, south of Houston, is meeting to decide if charges will be filed against Watson, Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the complainant, confirmed to The Athletic. In her ruling, Judge Davis said the case has already taken on a high profile and that not revealing the names of the plaintiff wont stop the public from speculating. As the number of lawsuits accusing Watson of sexual assault and misconduct increased to 21, Hardins office released statements from 18 massage therapists who say the accusations are inconsistent with their experiences. April 27, 2020: Option Exercised. Attorney Tony Buzbee said nine of his 12 clients involved in the latter hearing, including Solis, would voluntarily identify themselves. [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. This evolving, complicated situation can be difficult to track. I come forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman. [72] Watson followed up his Week 4 performance with another great outing against the Kansas City Chiefs. In a statement, Hardin alleged Buzbee was impeding efforts to investigate the accusations by not releasing names of accusers to Watsons legal team, which at this point was defending the quarterback against 16 civil lawsuits. Two of the women suing Watson for sexual assault and sexual misconduct went public in a news conference at Buzbees downtown Houston office Tuesday. [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. Due to plaintiffs counsels repeated refusals to identify for Mr. Watsons counsel the real name of Ms. Doe, Mr. Watsons counsel cannot fully evaluate or plead his defenses to her claims.. One of the suits was dropped whena judge requiredmost of the women bringing the suits to reveal their names. It appears the Watson team thinks that if these courageous women are forced to identify themselves, they would slink away and not pursue this matter, Buzbee said in a statement. August 18, 2022: The NFL suspended QB Deshaun Watson for 11 games. [110] In Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, Watson threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans lost 2331. Hardin confirmed that the FBI is investigating the allegations against Watson, as Buzbee first revealed in an interview with the website League Of Justice on Tuesday. Jim Schwartz seems to fit the bill for what Browns players . Yet, it would be wildly irresponsible for Mr. Watson or his defense team to publicly speculate about it. Buford High School Remains the Last Team to Deliver Deshaun Watson a Blowout Loss The last time Watson lost by more than one score in a game he started and finished did not come in the. Listen to what Brady Quinn, Lavar Arrington, and Jonas Knox have to say about the Deshaun Watson situation that . We take accusations of this nature very seriously.. Baxley, in an. Watson said he doesnt believe the New York Times report that he used 66 massage therapists during a 17-month period was accurate. Deshaun Watson is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL when he's on the field. Asked whether hell take all of these civil suits to trial, Hardin said absolutely. He claimed any sexual interactions Watson had with massage therapists were consensual. [172] In 2017, Watson donated his first NFL game check of approximately $27,000 to three NRG Stadium cafeteria employees affected by Hurricane Harvey. Nov 16, 2022 It's almost time now. vs: CIN. Browns QB Deshaun Watson Suspended For 6 Games: Report. Watson and his counsel badly miscalculated. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File) Hardin also said the FBI is investigating whether one of the women suing Watson attempted to extort him. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Attorney Tony Buzbee announced Monday that Watson has settled three of the four outstanding civil suits against him, including with Ashley Solis, the first woman to come forward with accusations against the quarterback. The NFL has interviewed 10 of the plaintiffs accusing Watson of sexual assault and sexual misconduct as part of its investigation into the matter, Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing 22 of the clients that have filed civil suits against Watson, confirmed. [4][5] Watson has denied any wrongdoing despite settling 20 claims of sexual misconduct. The suit contains claims, which were first made public in an article from the New York Times, that Watson asked several of the therapists to sign a non-disclosure agreement he received from a Texans staff member and that the team indirectly arranged for some of the massages to happen at The Houstonian Hotel by securing a membership for the quarterback. (Week 8, 2017), First player in NFL history with multiple 5 passing touchdown games within his first 2 seasons: 2, First player in NFL history to have 4,000+ passing yards, 25+ passing touchdowns, 500+ rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns in a single season, Fastest player in NFL history to have 6,500+ passing yards and 500+ rushing yards (26 games), Fastest player in NFL history to have 50 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns (27 games), First quarterback with back-to-back games with at least 375 passing yards and 35 rushing yards, Most passing touchdowns by a rookie in a 7-game span in NFL history: 19, Most passing touchdowns by a rookie in a 5-game span in NFL history: 18, Longest streak of games with 3 or more passing touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history: 4, Most games with at least 375 passing yards and 40 rushing yards in NFL history: 3 (tied with, Most passing touchdowns for a quarterback through his first six career games: 15, First rookie with two games of 300+ passing yards and 40+ rushing yards in a season, First rookie to produce 5+ touchdowns in consecutive games, Most completions with a perfect passer rating: 28, Most attempts with a perfect passer rating: 33 (tied with. Robinson wrote, in justification of her decision, that the league is attempting to impose a more dramatic shift in its culture without the benefit of fair notice to and consistency of consequence for those in the NFL subject to the (personal conduct) policy.. The content may be difficult to read and emotionally upsetting. But after Watson started the preseason opener, Jacoby Brissett served as the Browns top quarterback for the rest of the summer. Houston had already traded quarterback Brock Osweiler to Cleveland for draft picks earlier that year as part of what was widely considered the NFL's first major "salary dump." [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. Sports Texas Cleveland Browns deshaun watson. [91][92] In a Week 3 2720 road victory against the Los Angeles Chargers, he threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns, including a 53-yard touchdown to tight end Jordan Akins. Were obviously following that and looking at that ourselves, independently, Goodell said. The three-time Pro Bowler has not played in a regular season game since 2020, sitting out all of the last season because of a trade demand from his former team the Texans as well as the . The Texans finally dealt Watson to the Browns on March 18, with a personal conduct policy suspension looming from the NFL. The Cleveland . Because Plaintiffs counsel filed the actions anonymously, Mr. Watsons counsel can only speculate about Plaintiffs identity, Hardin writes in the filing. The latest proceedings are occurring nearly two weeks after a grand jury in Harris County, which includes Houston, didnt indict Watson on criminal charges related to sexual misconduct allegations against him. In sexual assault cases, state law only offers minors an exception to these rules. The day after Buzbee announced he was filing suit against Watson, a total of three cases appear on the Harris County district clerks website. The risk of being wrong is simply too high. [125] The Texans were not willing to negotiate with other teams regarding trade offers, leading to a standoff with Watson until the emergence of sexual-harassment allegations. We welcome this long overdue development, Rusty Hardin, Watsons lawyer, said in a statement. But I think that process is still ongoing, and until that process isnt ongoing and we have enough data and enough information to be able to make a determination of whether he should go on commissioner exempt, we dont feel we have that necessary information at this point.. Watson hasn't played for the Texans so far after a tumultuous offseason that. 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.. All plaintiffs have been kept anonymous in complaints up to this point, and Watsons lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has accused Buzbee of withholding their identities to impede investigations into the allegations. 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. The 26-year-old quarterback has been accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen women in Texas. [2][3], In 2021, Watson was sued by more than two dozen female massage therapists for sexual harassment and sexual assault. [119] Harvey has advised the NFL previously on matters involving the personal conduct policy, including being part of a committee that reviewed Ezekiel Elliotts case in 2017. [34], For his accomplishments during the 2015 season, Watson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the first time that a Clemson player had been invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation. 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. Also f**k Deshaun Watson. [146] 18 professional massage therapists have since expressed support of his character, saying that the allegations contradict their experiences with Watson. After having a productive rookie season cut short by injury, Watson guided the Texans to consecutive division titles in 2018 and 2019 and led the league in passing yards in 2020. A woman agreed to have her name attached to her suit later on Friday, leaving seven anonymous accusers after two additional women agreed to come forward earlier in the week. [52] In December, Watson graduated with a degree in communications after three years at Clemson. [88], On January 21, 2019, Watson was named to his first Pro Bowl, replacing the Super Bowl-bound Tom Brady. [151], On April 6, two of the 22 women who had filed lawsuits against Watson publicly identified themselves at a press conference. Including this latest one, a total of 26 civil lawsuits have now been filed against Watson. In sexual assault cases, state law only offers minors an exception to these rules. The NFL has increased Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watsons suspension to 11 games, with a $5 million fine and mandatory counseling. Watson missed the entire 2021 NFL season amid disagreements with the Texans' front office and the unfolding . game. Buzbee, who to this point has filed 21 lawsuits on behalf of women accusing Watson of sexual assault and misconduct, said in a statement late Friday that he was aware the complaint was filed but was not personally involved in the process., Buzbee previously wrote on Instagram that he would not take evidence against Watson to Houston Police, contradicting two prior statements, saying he would go elsewhere to provide our evidence to investigative authorities..