Deshaun Watson suspended six games by NFL, pending appeal

Former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has been suspended six games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a person familiar with the decision said.

Watson, who was traded to the Browns in March, is not expected to appeal the NFL’s decision. The NFL Players Association released a statement Sunday which said Robinson “held a full and fair hearing,” “read thousands of pages” of documents and “reviewed arguments from both sides impartially.”

“Regardless of her decision,” the statement said, “Deshaun and the NFLPA will stand by her ruling and we call on the NFL to do the same.”

The NFL, which had pushed for a suspension of at least one year and a fine of $5 million, has three days to appeal. If either side appealed, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates will make the decision, per terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The union then could try to challenge that ruling in federal court.

Some notable player suspensions under the NFL’s personal conduct policy:2022: Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suspended six games (accusations of sexual harassment and assault while playing for the Houston Texans).2021: Running back Derrius Guice suspended six games (domestic violence).2020: Wide receiver Antonio Brown suspended eight games (multiple violations of personal conduct policy).2019: Cleveland running back Kareem Hunt suspended eight games (assault caught on video).2019: Seattle defensive lineman Jarran Reed suspended six games (assault accusation).2019: Raiders guard Richie Incognito suspended two games (disorderly conduct).2018: Seattle linebacker Mychal Kendricks suspended eight games (insider trading).2018: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston suspended three games (accused of touching a female Uber driver inappropriately in 2016).2018: Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith suspended four games (domestic violence).2017: Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott suspended six games (domestic violence).2017: Kicker Josh Brown suspended six games (domestic violence).2017: Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones suspended one game (assault). Jones was suspended six games in 2008 and for one season in 2007 (multiple violations of personal conduct policy).2015: Cowboys defensive Greg Hardy suspended 10 games (domestic violence). Arbitrator Harold Henderson later reduced suspension to four games.2014: Baltimore running back Ray Rice suspended indefinitely (domestic violence).2014: Defensive lineman Aldon Smith suspended nine games (violations of personal conduct policy and substance abuse policy). Also suspended in 2015 (violations of the league’s substance abuse policy). Reinstated in 2020.2014: Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suspended indefinitely (child abuse case). Reinstated in 2015.2010: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspended six games (accusation of sexual assault by two women). Suspension later reduced to four games by Commissioner Roger Goodell.2008: Vikings offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie suspended four games (arrested on aggravated battery charges after a street brawl outside a nightclub).2007: Falcons quarterback Michael Vick suspended indefinitely (dogfighting). Reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell in 2009.2007: Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson suspended eight games (gun charge).2007: Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry suspended eight games (multiple violations of personal conduct policy). 

– Associated Press

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Watson’s six-game suspension aligns with past punishments levied against former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who both were accused of sexual assault and were not criminally charged.

There were expectations Watson’s suspension could have been longer. The Watson suspension comes months after Major League Baseball announced a two-year suspension for Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, who faced sexual assault and domestic violence allegations that did not lead to criminal charges.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Robinson’s decision says Watson’s “pattern of behavior was egregious,” but the behavior was “nonviolent sexual conduct.”

The league had pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a $5 million fine for the 26-year-old Watson during a three-day hearing before Robinson in June. The NFL Players’ Association argued Watson shouldn’t be punished at all because he was not convicted of any crime.

Robinson’s decision focused on information regarding five of the women who sued Watson, according to the Wall Street Journal. Watson, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, settled all but four of the lawsuits in June that had been levied against him. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said then those settlements would have no impact on the league’s disciplinary process.

The timeline sets Watson eligible when the Browns visit the Texans on Dec. 4. He last played in Houston’s season-finale loss to the Titans on Jan. 3, 2021. Watson subsequently demanded a trade, then sat out the 2021 season after the allegations against him emerged. He remained on the Texans’ 53-man roster, was inactive on game days and worked out on his own away from the team during the season.

The Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract after the quarterback waived his no-trade clause for Cleveland on March 18. The full details of Watson’s contract are not known. But Watson and his agent, David Mulugheta, secured their own financial protection by negotiating all but $1 million of Watson’s 2022 Browns salary into bonus payments that cannot be lost upon any potential NFL suspensions.

Goodell said at the NFL’s league meetings in March that Watson’s contract “would not restrict our ability to apply discipline. We would be able to apply discipline as we feel appropriate.”

Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam received considerable criticism and backlash following their acquisition of Watson, who had not yet settled any of the civil lawsuits against him. The Haslams issued a joint statement saying the franchise “spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating” the allegations against Watson,although attorney Tony Buzbee, who represent the women who have filed suit, confirmed no Browns representative reached out to him or any of the women he represents.

The Browns, Saints, Falcons and Panthers each courted Watson after a grand jury in Harris County declined to charge Watson with a crime. Days after the Browns traded for Watson, a Brazoria County grand jury declined to charge Watson in a second criminal hearing. Hardin told the Chronicle that Cleveland knew about the second hearing and the grand jury’s decision wouldn’t affect Watson’s status with the team.

Buzbee said Monday that three of the four remaining cases against Watson have been settled.

One of the women who sued Watson was listed as the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against the Texans, which said the franchise “turned a blind eye” on warnings of Watson’s alleged behavior and instead “shielded” and “enabled” their quarterback. The Texans then settled claims with all the women who accused Watson of sexual assault during massage appointments.

“Although our organization did not have any knowledge of Deshaun Watson’s alleged misconduct, we have intentionally chosen to resolve this matter amicably,” the team’s ownership group — Janice, Cal and Hannah McNair — said in a joint statement. “This is not an admission of any wrongdoing but instead a clear stand against any form of sexual assault and misconduct.

“We hope that (the) resolution will provide some form of closure to the parties involved, our fans and the Houston community at large. As an organization, we will now turn our focus to the future and doing what we can to ensure respect for all.”

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