Report: Browns QB Deshaun Watson's disciplinary hearing set to begin Tuesday

The disciplinary hearing that will likely result in a substantial suspension for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is scheduled to begin Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Watson, 26, has been accused by dozens of massage therapists of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to assault. Earlier in June, it was announced that 20 of the 24 women who had pending civil lawsuits filed against Watson reached settlements.

Schefter says the NFL will push for a "lengthy" suspension of Watson when the hearing begins this week, while the NFL Players Association will defend the quarterback and seek a lighter punishment. According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the NFLPA fears the league will look to suspend Watson "for the entire 2022 season, if not indefinitely."

The NFL and NFLPA jointly appointed disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson to oversee the hearing. Robinson is a former federal judge who retired from the bench in 2017 and now works as an attorney in Delaware. She has not previously ruled on a case involving an NFL player and Schefter says a ruling from Robinson could take anywhere from a few days to more than a month.

Watson was acquired by the Browns in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans in March. Upon his arrival in Cleveland, Watson received a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract that came with a $1 million base salary for the 2022 season that was seemingly designed to minimize the sting of a suspension. In four seasons in Houston, Watson threw 104 touchdowns with 36 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl three times.