Tony Buzbee on Deshaun Watson punishment: Roger Goodell is 'nothing more than a paper tiger'

Weeks before the NFL confirmed on Thursday that it and the NFL Players Association had agreed to an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson regarding allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions, attorney Tony Buzbee unveiled that his legal team had ultimately settled 23 of 24 civil lawsuits brought against Watson.

Buzbee, who represented the plaintiffs in the civil cases, reacted to Thursday's news via a statement shared by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 

"By settling this matter the way he has, (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell has proven one of two things: either his recent rhetoric was utter baloney, or his bark is much worse than his bite," Buzbee said. "My belief is that he is nothing more than a paper tiger. The message today to all victims is clear, if you believe you have been sexually assaulted by a powerful person, keep your mouth shut and go away. The NFL has certainly demonstrated that its ownership and the organization don’t care.

"To all sexual assault survivors, do not allow this recent 'punishment' to deter you. Keep speaking up and speaking out. Your voice matters. You are making a difference. We stand with you." 

Two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges before NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson initially recommended that the 26-year-old should serve a six-game ban. Earlier this month, Buzbee said during a press conference that "the elected DA failed these women" by not landing charges against Watson. 

"It was frustrating but it was expected," Buzbee added at that time. "There are more than 463,000 incidents of sexual assault in the United States each year. 70 percent of those are never reported to the police. Less than one percent of those ever lead to a conviction."

The National Organization of Women and Scott Berkowitz, the founder and president of The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, also condemned Watson and his actions on Thursday.