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The final Deshaun Watson ruling is out. The controversial quarterback is slated to miss the first 11 games of the season but will be back playing football in just a few months. While his punishment is already settled – an increase from the original six-game ban – Watson continues to assert that while he is willing to serve the sentence, that doesn't mean he's guilty.
In his immediate reaction to the media following the announcement of the revised punishment, Deshaun Watson did offer an apology but still stands firm on his innocence. He accepted the final punishment without pushback particularly because that puts an end date to the ongoing saga he's gone through for over a year – and not because he did anything wrong.
Via Mike Garofolo:
Article Continues BelowDeshaun Watson on why he accepted a settlement if he claims he’s innocent: “I’ve always been able to stand on my innocence and always said I never assaulted or disrespected anyone but at the same point I have to continue to push forward with my life and career.”
The apology, Watson claims, isn't for any particular wrongdoings on his part but rather “for everybody that was affected” pointing to the handful of people “triggered” by the scandal that he's been right at the center of.
Deshaun Watson on why he’s apologizing then: “For everybody that was affected by this situation. There were a lot of people that were triggered.”
If all holds true, Deshaun Watson will make his return to the field against his former team, the Houston Texans, as the Browns' twelfth opponent during Week 13 of the regular season. Expect that one to be a much-watch contest and not solely for the football.
