Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will still be allowed to play — for now — despite yet another sexual assault allegation.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the league doesn’t plan on placing Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list since no criminal charges have been filed.
The NFL doesn’t plan to place #Browns QB Deshaun Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list in light of a new civil lawsuit stemming from a 2020 allegation, since there have been no criminal charges and the league’s review has just begun.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 10, 2024
From @NFLprguy: “We are reviewing the…
“We are reviewing the complaint and we will look into the matter under the Personal Conduct Policy,” the league said to Pelissero.
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Deshaun Watson could still be suspended
The league could still end up suspending Watson.
On Monday, a woman filed a lawsuit against Watson, claiming the former Pro Bowl quarterback sexually assaulted her in October 2020 while he was a member of the Houston Texans.
“Watson grabbed Jane Doe’s leg and positioned her so that she was lying down. Watson then partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina without consent, implicit or explicit. Jane Doe felt paralyzed, unsure if she should risk her safety by trying to stop Watson or endure his assault. Watson roughly sexually assaulted Jane Doe for several minutes in a ‘missionary position’ before grabbing her and flipping her over,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit continues, “Watson continued to assault Doe aggressively from behind. Jane Doe finally gathered the courage and strength to escape Watson. Jane Doe quickly ran to her dresser to grab a heavy piece of décor for self-defense, and yelled at Watson [to] get out of her apartment. Enraged, Watson stormed out of Jane Doe’s apartment.”
This latest lawsuit comes two years after 24 women accused Watson of sexual misconduct during massage sessions while he was with Houston. The quarterback ended up settling 23 out of the 24 civil lawsuits. He was never criminally charged.
Despite Watson’s alleged sexual harassment, the Browns still decided to trade for the controversial QB and gave him a five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract.
Watson missed the 2021 season after asking for a trade from the Houston Texans and was suspended for 11 games in 2022 over the sexual misconduct allegations. Watson has only played in 13 games for the Browns over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries.
Watson had an awful Week 1 performance against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked six times in the Browns’ 33-17 loss.
