Deshaun Watson spoke to the media after his 11-game suspension was officially announced by the NFL, and he tried to offer some explanations about what took place to lead to a settlement.
Speaking after the settlement announcement, Watson maintained his innocence in light of allegations of sexual misconduct and 24 civil lawsuits against the Cleveland Browns quarterback. Watson said his apology was for “people that were triggered” and said he accepted the settlement because he had to “push forward with my life and career.”
Watson has consistently maintained his innocence in the face of the allegations. There was even some suggestion that he felt the initial six-game suspension was too harsh. His case was difficult to argue, however, after former judge Sue L. Robinson stated that she felt the NFL proved the allegations against Watson, which is part of why she forced the quarterback to make a major change to his routine. The question of why he would accept a significant penalty if he could make the case that the facts are on his side is certainly a valid one.
The NFL said Watson must undergo professional evaluation during his suspension, and commissioner Roger Goodell certainly seems to want to see Watson show some sort of remorse for his alleged actions. That will be difficult for Watson to do as long as he maintains that he never did what he was alleged of in the first place.
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