Browns' Deshaun Watson Suspended 11 Games, Fined $5M in Settlement with NFL

The league and the players association have reached a settlement on the matter of the Cleveland quarterback violating the personal conduct policy.

He will be suspended for the first 11 games and fined $5 million. He needs to be evaluated and treated as well.

Adam Schefter was added to the list.

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

Deshaun Watson has to comply with eval and treatment recommendations of a third-party behavioral expert to be reinstated. His reinstatement is contingent upon his compliance with the treatment plan. If he doesn’t comply, his reinstatement could be delayed, plus further discipline

The statement was released by theBrowns.

Cleveland Browns @Browns

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The owners of the Cleveland Indians released a statement.

Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents the women who have filed civil lawsuits against the football player, called out the commissioner of the National Football League.

The league appealed the six-game suspension handed down by the former federal judge.

Albert Breer @AlbertBreer

The NFL has appealed Sue L. Robinson’s recommendation of a six-game suspension. Roger Goodell will decide whether he or a designer will hear the appeal.

Here’s the league’s statement and a note on the process. pic.twitter.com/tmasBcHIRh

The league wanted an indefinite suspension of at least one year for the player.

According to a report by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, if the quarterback received a one-year suspension from the league, the players would file a lawsuit against it.

Between March 2020 and March 2021, twenty-five women filed civil lawsuits against him, accusing him of sexual assault or improper conduct while he was with the Houston Texans.

Only one lawsuit was dropped as of July 31.

He should be suspended on August 1st. The decision was made after a three-day hearing between the league and the players association.

Robinson said in her 16-page ruling that the pattern of behavior was egregious and that the NFL's investigation showed that he committed sexual assault and engaged in conduct that posed a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person.

She said that he should only work with massage therapists who are approved by the club for the duration of his career. The league only interviewed 12 of the women who filed civil lawsuits, and only four of them testified for the league.

Robinson noted that she was looking at the record when she decided on the six-game ban with no fine.

The personal conduct policy was one of the changes made to the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the union.

The previous system had a person in charge of all decisions. The league has a new policy that requires it to inform a player of a potential violation and the league also appoints aDisciplinary Officer to decide if a player is suspended or not.

The players association and league have the right to appeal if a suspension is imposed by the Disciplinary Officer. When an appeal is filed, the appeal will be heard and the final authority on the discipline will be given to the hand-picked designee.

The union and the league should "stand by" the decision in the interest of making sure every player, owner, business partner and stakeholder knows that the process is legitimate and won't be messed with.

Two of the women who filed civil lawsuits against him talked about their experiences with him during massage therapy sessions.

She suffers from panic attacks, depression and anxiety and has sought counseling as a result of Deshaun Watson's actions.

The attorney read a letter written by a person who was not present at the press conference. She wrote the letter at the recommendation of her trauma therapist, so that he could know that she and others had been terrorised by you.

In June of this year, Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times reported that there were at least 66 massage appointments with at least 66 women. The Texans helped facilitate those appointments by giving him a membership to the Houstonian hotel and club where he had some of his massage appointments.

According to Vrentas, some of his massage therapists signed a nondisclosure agreement that was left in his locker by Naccara.

The Texans reached settlements with 30 women who were prepared to make claims against the organization.

The three-time Pro Bowler was signed to a five-year contract extension by the Cleveland Browns after they acquired him from the Houston Texans.

He will be able to return for the Week 13 game against the Texans in December.