WATSON HANDED ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES IN NFL HISTORY

NFL / Football

Written by Joel Lefevre

The Cleveland Browns will be without their prized offseason acquisition for longer than expected.

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

Deshaun Watson and the NFL came to a settlement that will see the Cleveland QB suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 regular season, combined with a $5 million fine following allegations of sexual misconduct against Watson by two dozen women.

That suspension is five games longer than the original one handed down by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson earlier this month, a ruling that the NFL chose to appeal.

Along with the fine, the league and the Cleveland Browns announced they will be donating $1 million each to a fund that will support non-profit organizations across the country.

Those funds will help educate young people on “healthy relationships, promote education and prevention of sexual misconduct and assault, support survivors, and related causes.”

This fine and suspension are one of the most significant penalties handed out to an NFL player.

While denying any wrongdoing in the alleged matters, Watson released a statement through the Browns saying, “I apologize once again for any pain this situation has caused.”

“I’ve always stood on my innocence and always said that I’ve never assaulted anyone or disrespected anyone, and I’m continuing to stand on that,” he said. “But at the same time, I have to continue to push forward with my life and my career, and for us to be able to move forward, I have to be able to take steps and put pride to the side.

“I’m going to continue to stand on my innocence and keep pushing forward, and I’ve always stood on not disrespecting or sexually assaulting anyone,” says Watson.

As part of the settlement, the first regular season game that Watson will be eligible to play in will be on December 4, when the Browns meet his former team, the Houston Texans.

Cleveland co-owner Jimmy Haslam who was widely criticized for acquiring the three-time Pro-Bowler continues to stand beside him, saying “since Deshaun came into our building in April, he has done everything we have asked of him and more,”

“He has been the person, the leader that we expect him to be, and I think he understands where he is in his life, it’s a pivotal point, and we as an organization are going to do everything we can to help him not only be the best football player he can be but more important to be the best person he can be.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who was seeking a year-long suspension for the quarterback, released a statement on behalf of the league regarding the ruling.

“Deshaun has committed to doing the hard work on himself that is necessary for his return to the NFL,” Goodell said. “This settlement requires compliance with a professional evaluation and treatment plan, a significant fine, and a more substantial suspension. We are grateful to Judge Robinson and Peter Harvey for their efforts in addressing these matters, which laid the foundation for reaching this conclusion.”

Watson, who signed a $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Cleveland, will lose $632,500 in salary this season, while serving his suspension, which begins on August 30.

Another component to the settlement, according to the NFL, will be that the Browns’ pivot must be evaluated by behavioural experts and follow their treatment program.

In their opening pre-season game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Watson saw his first action in a Cleveland uniform, going 1 of 5 for 7 yards, but head coach Kevin Stefanski said he would not feature in any more games for them before the start of his suspension.