The Cleveland Browns had no qualms signing Deshaun Watson to the most lucrative contract in NFL history after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct. Now that the NFL and Players' Association has agreed on an 11-game suspension without pay for the embattled quarterback, the Browns are trying to save face amid widespread criticism by donating to charity.

In a statement released on Thursday following the final determination of Watson's suspension, Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam praised the three-time Pro Bowler's “true dedication to working on himself both on and off the field” and announced they'd be investing in local youth programs to raise awareness of and help prevent sexual misconduct.

Watson expressed appreciation for the support he'd received from the organization after terms of his suspension were finalized, apologizing for the “pain this situation has caused” and taking “accountability for the decisions I made.”

The 26-year-old continued to maintain his innocence despite multiple investigative parties finding the 30 separate accusations against him credible, even insisting he'd eventually tell his “side of the story.”

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“I'll continue to stand on my innocence, just because you know settlements, and things like that happen doesn't mean that a person is guilty for anything,” Watson said, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. “I feel like a person has an opportunity to stand on his innocence and prove that, and we proved that from a legal side, and just going to continue to push forward as an individual and as a person.”

If Watson complies with with evaluation and treatment recommendations offered by a third-party behavioral therapist, his suspension will be lifted on November 28th, just in time for Cleveland's Week 13 road matchup against the Houston Texans, his former team.

In July, Houston reached financial settlements with 30 women who claimed or planned to claim that Watson had preyed on them during individual massage sessions, forcing them to perform sexual acts on him without consent. Cleveland signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract a few months earlier, unmoved by the mounting allegations against him.

[ESPN]