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Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was found not guilty in all of the sexual assault accusations against him. The announcement was made around 4:30 p.m. EST on Friday. However, this doesn’t mean that Watson is ready to play next season.
According to NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, the league has “been closely monitoring all developments” in Watson’s case “which remains under review of the personal conduct policy.” ESPN NFL reporter Sarah Barshop tweeted McCarthy’s quote Friday afternoon.
In a statement on Deshaun Watson, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league has "been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy."
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) March 11, 2022
In other words, there is still a possibility that the league suspends the Texans quarterback, regardless of where he ends up next season. As ESPN’s Dan Graziano pointed out, this is a very important piece of information for teams interested in Watson moving forward.
Important to note here. Even if traded to a place he wants to play, Watson still could face a suspension or be put on the commissioner's exempt list. Which is surely a factor in the minds of interested teams. https://t.co/yIIwkAON7z
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) March 11, 2022
Watson was accused of sexual assault by multiple women within the past year. 22 different lawsuits and nine criminal complaints were filed against him. However, the Harris County grand jury returned nine no bills on the nine criminal complaints Friday afternoon.
Rumor has it that the Texans could trade Watson to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. The Seahawks were left with a huge hole in their roster when they traded franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos earlier this week. Many other teams are on the market for a play-caller this offseason, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both teams lost their franchise quarterbacks to retirement earlier in the offseason.