CLEVELAND — The variety of ladies who’ve accused Deshaun Watson in court docket filings of sexual misconduct is now as much as 27.
The variety of video games he has began for the Cleveland Browns since they acquired him — and assured him $230 million — is 13.
We’re early into the third 12 months of Watson’s five-year contract, and the commerce has been a catastrophe. Even by the Browns’ requirements, this one makes drafting Johnny Manziel appear to be a clever funding.
I write that with a way of embarrassment and accountability. I understood why the Browns pursued him. That they had a roster able to win and a quarterback who was good however not nice. They had been on a good competition window with a few of their greatest gamers of their prime and so they had been attempting to enhance rapidly at a very powerful place. Watson’s efficiency as a member of the Houston Texans definitely seemed to be an improve over Baker Mayfield.
However one other girl has come ahead this week with extra heinous, vile accusations towards Watson.
The Browns want an exit technique.
And they should sit him till they’ve one.
Watson has maintained his innocence by way of all of this and did so once more Wednesday each publicly and thru a press release launched by his lawyer, Rusty Hardin. He insists he’s finished nothing unsuitable — even whereas writing settlement checks for greater than 20 of the instances towards him.
Assertion from Deshaun Watson’s authorized illustration. pic.twitter.com/eWlqsZ6QGI
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) September 11, 2024
This newest allegation appeared to shock everybody contained in the Browns. Regardless of the lady’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, writing in a press release that Watson’s protection workforce has recognized about this case for the final 10 months, Watson mentioned Wednesday he didn’t learn about it till it was reported within the media.
Each Deshaun Watson and Kevin Stefanski mentioned they had been unaware of the brand new allegations towards Watson earlier than the civil swimsuit was filed Monday. https://t.co/Q8owb3NllV https://t.co/15HjHzFIvZ
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) September 11, 2024
Coach Kevin Stefanski, sometimes detest to disclose even the colour of his game-day hoodie, mentioned he didn’t learn about this case earlier than this week. If the group can show Watson was conscious of the potential allegation earlier than he signed the contract and didn’t disclose it to the workforce, they might have a approach out of this mess.
In the event that they do, they’d higher take it.
The overwhelming majority of professional athletes by no means face one allegation of sexual misconduct, a lot much less 27. Watson doesn’t have a lot of a proof for why new allegations are nonetheless rising.
“I’m in the identical boat as you, boss man,” he mentioned.
It’s apparently all some huge, grand conspiracy towards him that 27 ladies, their lawyer, the NFL and a retired U.S. District decide are all in on. Bear in mind, Decide Sue L. Robinson already decided the NFL cleared its burden of proof within the 4 instances introduced earlier than her in 2022. That’s what in the end led to Watson’s 11-game suspension two years in the past.
If it’s true that Watson is harmless and has finished nothing unsuitable, why didn’t he countersue for defamation of character towards any of the ladies earlier than he settled? Will he sue this one?
The NFL will but once more examine the credibility of those new claims. The newest girl, recognized within the lawsuit as Jane Doe, is the primary to accuse Watson of getting intercourse along with her towards her will whereas the 2 had been inside her residence in October 2020. The majority of the accusations towards Watson beforehand surrounded his conduct throughout massages. This one is far completely different.
“Watson grabbed Jane Doe’s leg and positioned her in order that she was mendacity down,” the lawsuit states. “Watson then partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina with out consent, implicit or specific.”
But Stefanski mentioned Watson will begin this week towards the Jaguars and the Browns seem to don’t have any plans of benching him. How can they proceed working him out because the face of the franchise if there’s any uncertainty over the veracity of those claims? The Texans sat Watson for the complete 2021 season whereas they labored by way of his commerce request and a slew of sexual misconduct allegations. The Browns are displaying no inclination to do the identical. Stefanski declared inside hours of the court docket submitting that Watson will begin Sunday.
Earlier than they traded for him, the Browns mentioned they did “due diligence” investigating the instances towards Watson. How a lot due diligence have they finished this week?
“Deshaun, did you do it?”
“No.”
“Cool. Go well with up.”
Nobody throughout the constructing has a solution to the case’s credibility as a result of Stefanski admitted he had no prior information of this case earlier than this week.
Apparently, the Browns are simply taking Watson at his phrase. It’s an unbelievable quantity of blind belief to have in somebody who has been sued now 27 instances.
The Browns ought to be looking for an out. They’ve already paid Watson greater than $130 million in precise money, however solely about $60 million of it has counted towards their cap They nonetheless have one other $170 million to go on the spreadsheets.
The quarterback place calls for a deep quantity of belief each on and off the sector. I requested Watson why Browns followers and the group ought to belief him and imagine him given the mountain of allegations towards him these previous couple of years.
“I can’t communicate for the followers, I can’t communicate for anyone outdoors this constructing,” he mentioned. “However I do know that listening to from the Haslams and A.B. (Browns GM Andrew Berry) and people guys, I do know that they inform me each day that they assist me, and so they bought my again and that they need me to concentrate on being the very best quarterback I could be. In order that’s all I can do is simply communicate my fact, inform them the reality. They talked with my authorized workforce and everybody that was part of this complete course of. They usually should make their choice, and that call was to offer me the chance to return be their franchise quarterback to assist this workforce win.”
Deshaun Watson speaks to the media earlier than observe https://t.co/1NtQiFiP8y
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 11, 2024
Watson has finished little to earn such belief from anybody within the group. However let’s be clear: The choice to play him throughout new allegations rises nicely above the top coach and even the final supervisor. That is an possession choice to maintain working him on the market. That is on Jimmy and Dee Haslam.
His on-field efficiency would possibly push them into an uncomfortable choice whatever the contract. He was mediocre final 12 months earlier than a uncommon shoulder damage ended his season in November. He had a horrible coaching camp this 12 months. He was a catastrophe in Sunday’s loss to Dallas, holding the ball too lengthy and throwing passes 7 yards out of bounds. He has not often regarded just like the quarterback from Houston the Browns believed they had been getting.
The Browns have a roster able to making a deep playoff run and a quarterback that may’t cease getting sued. No matter boat Watson believes he’s on is sinking. Quick. The Browns don’t want him or his boat. They want a life preserver.
(Picture: Cooper Neill / Getty Photos)
