Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing 22 civil cases stemming from sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct allegations.
One of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL, the 25-year-old Watson now faces an uncertain future in the league months after he requested a trade from the Texans.
Recent reports suggest that Watson is facing a “multi-game suspension” for the 2021 season regardless of what happens in the court of law. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the NFL has an ability to suspend players even in the absence of criminal charges being filed or a guilty verdict.
There’s also the commissioner’s exempt list. Roger Goodell could place Watson on said list, paying him to remain away from the Texans, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported:
“Many league insiders and observers have assumed that, given the sheer volume of civil cases pending against Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, the NFL eventually will place him on paid leave pending the resolution of 22 lawsuits."
There’s a lot that goes into this possibility. As Florio notes, the litigation schedule in the civil cases indicates Watson won’t be questioned under oath until after the 2021 NFL season concludes. From a PR standpoint, the NFL faces a real quagmire here.
Can the league realistically let Watson take to the field with these 22 allegations still outstanding? There’s a chance that the Texans have already moved on from him. After a plethora of offseason moves, Houston has four other quarterbacks under contract. That includes former Pro Bowler Tyrod Taylor and rookie third-round pick Davis Mills.
Meanwhile, teams that had interest in Watson earlier in the offseason have moved on to other options after these allegations became public record.
Where the Watson situation stands now
- Despite Watson taking to social media for the first time since initially pushing back against these allegations, there’s not too much confidence in the situation being resolved ahead of the start of training camp in July.
- Both the plaintiffs and Watson’s camp continue to deny that settlement talks are ongoing. Short of said settlement taking place, the situation will not be resolved.
- There’s also an ongoing criminal investigation into the allegations being conducted by the Houston Police Department. This could change everything on a dime should Watson be charged or local authorities completely clear him.
- For now, NFL teams are not going to trade for Watson. The Texans have added multiple options should the quarterback be forced to sit out the 2021 season. Whether it’s via paid leave (commissioner’s exempt list) or a suspension, it’s highly unlikely we’re going to see Watson on the field come Week 1.
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