Deshaun Watson is facing a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault.
The Houston Texans quarterback took to social media to respond to the suit and said he looks forward to clearing his name. Watson, who has requested a trade out of Houston, said the suit is “about money.”
“As a result of a social media post by a publicity-seeking plaintiff’s lawyer, I recently became aware of a lawsuit that has apparently been filed against me,” Watson posted on Twitter. “I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. The plaintiff’s lawyer claims that this isn’t about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn’t about money for me — it’s about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that.”
The plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, has appeared on radio and TV interviews since making the suit public on Tuesday night. He has repeated claims that Watson went “too far.”
The Texans issued a statement Wednesday morning in response to growing coverage of the Watson suit.
“We became aware of a civil lawsuit involving Deshaun Watson through a social media post last night. This is the first time we heard of the matter, and we hope to learn more soon. We take accusations of this nature that involve anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously. We will await further information before making any additional statements on this incident.”
Read More: Sexual assault allegations surface against Deshaun Watson, star QB responds
Watson, 25, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, signed a four-year, $156 million deal with the Texans last year. Following the trade of All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins last spring and changes to the coaching staff and front office, Watson raised concerns about his lack of a voice in the franchise and is reportedly frustrated by the general direction of the team.
General manager Nick Caserio and head coach David Culley have said Watson won’t be traded.
Houston signed veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a one-year deal on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media