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Another NFL season, another lawsuit aimed at Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for sexual misconduct allegations. On Tuesday following the Browns' Week 1 33-17 shellacking by the Dallas Cowboys, the league announced that it is reviewing a lawsuit filed against the Browns' $230 million signal-caller.
“NFL spokesman @NFLprguy on the civil lawsuit filed Monday accusing Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery: “We are reviewing the complaint and we will look into the matter under the Personal Conduct Policy,” ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday.
The Deshaun Watson lawsuit in question was filed Monday, September 9, in Harris County, Texas.
The accuser alleges that on a date at her apartment with the then-Houston Texans QB back in 2020, Watson aggressively yelled at her on the phone while looking for the apartment and, after finding it, he removed his clothing while she was in the bathroom getting ready. Upon exiting the bathroom, she found Watson “completely naked on her bed,” per the lawsuit (h/t The Athletic).
“Watson then insisted she massage his buttocks, despite the woman repeating that she wasn’t a masseuse, per the lawsuit. She says she was afraid and attempted to massage his back instead. Watson turned over, the lawsuit alleges, then grabbed her and sexually assaulted her for several minutes,” The Athletic story continues. “She eventually escaped and grabbed a piece of furniture for self-defense, the lawsuit alleges, and Watson left.”
This is not the first (or even the 24th) time that an accuser has filed a lawsuit in criminal or civil court related to Watson's behavior during a date or massage. More than two dozen women filed suits in 2020 and 2021 with accusations that ranged from sexual harassment to sexual assault.
Due to these sexual misconduct lawsuits, the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million months after the Browns traded three first-round picks plus for him and signed him to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
