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Adam Schefter blasted for report on Deshaun Watson

Adam Schefter of ESPN Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN's Adam Schefter blasted for report on Browns' Deshaun Watson

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 12/5/22

ESPN's Adam Schefter took hits from peers following his report about Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Over the weekend, Schefter pointed out that sources told him Watson has made "'signs of progress' during his mandatory treatment program" that is part of the settlement between the NFL and NFL Players Association. It also involved the 27-year-old serving an 11-game suspension related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. As shared by the Barrett Sports Media website, media members and fans took to Twitter to blast Schefter regarding the report considering that Watson has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing:

I will believe Deshaun Watson has made progress when he admits what he did. So far he is standing by his story that every single one of the dozens of women who accused him of sexual assault are all lying. https://t.co/pHleFzvAG0
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) December 4, 2022

This is embarrassing journalism.

Why allow anonymous sources on this? What are NFL and NFLPA experts?

What do they mean by progress???

Spinning the return of a player who faces dozens of allegations of sexual assault as a positive story for the NFL is quite a feat. https://t.co/B4gIyiuLrf
— Julie O'Donoghue (@JSODonoghue) December 4, 2022

The first step has to be admitting what you did. He didn’t do that. Progress doesn’t exist here https://t.co/isQrFRdA6g
— B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) December 4, 2022

Schefter is such a pathetic embarrassment to journalism https://t.co/5zzo4sUvKu
— Isaac Chotiner (@IChotiner) December 4, 2022

There is absolutely no evidence presented here if any kind of “signs of progress” and Watson has consistently declined to so much as acknowledge that he has done anything wrong, but hey https://t.co/5IcqeXRbgm
— Chris Towers Is In Football Season (@CTowersCBS) December 4, 2022

"The story felt like a PR favor and it was weird it was even run," Andrew Marchand of the New York Post wrote. "There were no examples of what progress even means. Has he not assaulted anyone? Does he understand what he did wrong? Watson has declined to answer questions about it. Given the unknowns, it seems like you’d need to go back to the 'sources,' who were willing to say that they have seen 'signs of progress,' and ask them in what way? To run it as a Sunday morning pregame splash felt off."

The Browns traded with the Houston Texans in March for Watson and then signed him to a five-year contract reportedly worth $230 million in fully guaranteed money after it became clear he would not be charged with a crime. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him on criminal charges, and his legal team has thus far settled 23 lawsuits filed against him.

Two lawsuits remain active, including one filed last month.

Watson made his Browns regular-season debut at none other than the Texans on Sunday and helped Cleveland notch a 27-14 victory that improved the club to 5-7 on the season. He completed just 12-of-22 passes for 131 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in the win.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio mentioned that Watson declined "to address whether he feels remorse" about the allegations that still hover over the quarterback's head following Sunday's game.

"I did everything that I was asked and was required to do," Watson responded when asked if he feels "remorse for the actions that got you suspended."

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