More lawsuits have been filed against Deshaun Watson this week, as ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop details. This latest round of suits includes one alleging that Watson is deleting Instagram messages and contacting plaintiffs in an effort to settle. 
“Like a lot of people, Deshaun regularly deletes past Instagram messages,” Watson’s attorney Rusty Hardin said. “That said, he has not deleted any messages since March 15th, the day before the first lawsuit was filed. We categorically deny that he has reached out directly to his accusers in an attempt to settle these cases.”
Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing Watson’s accusers, now says that he has filed 20 lawsuits in total.
“Plaintiffs have not brought these cases for money or attention; instead Plaintiffs seek a change in behavior with regard to Watson, and a change of culture in the NFL,” Buzbee wrote in one lawsuit.
Before the lawsuits, the biggest questions surrounding Watson had to do with his future in Houston. The trade rumors have obviously taken a backseat, but NFL execs seem to think that a deal could still be in play.
“If you’re a team that had been interested in him, you have to do your own research into this, with whatever resources you have,” one anonymous NFL exec told Lindsay Jones of The Athletic. “You have to do your own due diligence, in the event that [someone from the Texans] one day picks up the phone and says they are ready to move him.”
I believe in “honest until proven guilty” but with 19 pending lawsuits, it is pretty apparent that Watson has at least a “character flaw” that makes him PR nightmare for any team even considering signing him.
Besides all his pending lawsuits and related costs, Watson must now realize his bargaining power for a new contract is diminished if not expired.
He is signed through 2025 with $111 million in guarantees. I don’t think his next contract is the most of his worries. Besides, if he can play, some team will pay him big money.
Wrong! He IS signed through 2025, but after ‘22 nothing is guaranteed and it is nowhere near $111M.
Ever hear of Michael Vick?
Right? Contracts can be voided.
Interesting that the league hasn’t put Watson on the suspended list yet, as not only is he the subject of numerous sexual assault allegations, but he seemingly violated the league’s COVID protocols at least 20 times last year – and we all saw how much leeway the league gave the others that did that.
Pull your head out. Busby is a known friend of the Texans owners. This is all a publicity to try and force home stay and lower his value. Do some research before you talk. Not a coincidence at all. 1
Innocent until proven guilty does not necessarily mean honest until proven guilty. Why do I say this. If the compainant in a civil suit is just after money for questional behavior, then reaching an agreement of terms is perfectly legal. Some civil suits may legit, while others MAY be simply jumping on board because DW is loaded. I do not blame DW for trying to clean things up, like Kobe did.
Yet another franchise record for Deshaun: Most expensive massage.
Becoming hard to believe Watson. Seems like a typical jock forcing himself on people.
Two takeaways, one easier to believe than the other.
1) So if representatives of the Texans and the NFL meet with the plaintiffs and outline a program to help modify Watson’s alleged behavior and the behavior of players to come, the plaintiffs and attorney will be happy with no money.
2) At least one NFL exec has admitted that if the Texans call and say “you can have Watson for your QB and a first,” they’ll find SOME way to justify it, regardless of any off-field problems.
I offer a potential 3rd takeaway –
3) Texans tell Watson he is untradeable and that they will back him against lawsuits and fight the good fight blah blah blah in exchange for giving them 1 year delay on his trade demand.He can use the excuse of “how much they came to his aid and believed him” as a way to save face. After next year if he still wants to be traded they can still get kings ransom ( perhaps more since next yrs QB crop is weaker than this years). Maybe they win more than expected and get to keep him long term.
Duder won’t play in 2021.
the line “change of culture in the nfl” sounds like this may not be all about Deshaun which leads me to now question the legitimatacy of all these suits. I mean is it possible that all 19 are him? maybe. or it could be he did 2-4 of them and more are linking to it.
again I’m not saying he is innocent, but that line sounds it could explain the cast number of suits as much as anything.
Honestly it doesn’t matter if there are 19, if there is 1 that’s enough. 2-4 tells me you got a real entitlement problem, and more than that is just a bad mental state of mind
Bingo!
These lawyers are hilarious. Plaintiffs seek…and a “change in culture in the NFL”. Yes, how altruistic of them. Of course, the money sought in such settlements is not the goal! I bet even the lawyer laughed when he wrote that one.
This sounds like the train wreck in Baltimore. Everyone was jumpin on the law suit and they had more riders suing than the train had seats. Gotta go filing my today. Bahahaha
Like a lot of SHADY people, Deshaun regularly deletes past Instagram messages…
This all crazy. Feel just want some of the Watson pie. Blackmail and now saying deleting messages. Is he really doing all of this on Instagram. Just the timing of all this coming out
And BUZZBEE for their lawyer is another to look at.
I could see maybe one or two but this many and Watson getting deep into this business when wanted out.
I fond it odd that the Texans want to bargain with a player who supposedly has 20 women who alleged abuse against him. If these allegations were true wouldn’t they drop his contract for violating league policy and move on.
You don’t drop a talented asset like that on an alleged incident. That would be very bad team management. But it is the Texans.
There are 19 alledged incidents. Where ever Watson plays there will be women’s groups protesting and calling for boycotts of the Texans’ sponsors. It will depend on how these suits come out, but if he loses some he will become radioactive. First, the NFL would probably suspend him for one year. His future is very much in doubt.
How ballsy would a GM and Owner have to be to trade for DW right now?
They can all say they would trade for DW in the hypothetical. But when they have to pull the trigger and present DW to the fan base, who has the hutzpah to really do that?
They’d better have a strong constitution to weather the S-Storm that will come their way.
This is about the point when the Raiders usually strike
@Lars. Celebrity and sport scandals have become so commonplace that they don’t stay on the front burner for more than a few months. People lose interest. Last I heard David Tepper was very determined to acquire Watson.
He should’ve hit up Robert Kraft for his spots in palm beach
Yeah, every hear of Ray Rice?
He may never play again to be honest. He could be facing jail time. This isn’t the same as Robert Kraft going to a massage parlor where everyone knows what goes down. This is sexual assault against 19 women. He ejaculated on one woman like wtf. These are professional massage therapist. Why do people even get naked for a massage ? I usually wear boxers or basketball shorts when I get a full body massage: what a weirdo.
joemoes These guys probably aren’t used to being rejected and having their advances turned away. As the Star QB of the college football team he was probably treated like a god. Some of them just aren’t gonna take it well when their status doesn’t get them what what they want in the same way anymore.
Why am I still got an ill feeling like McNair has his nose in this somehow … not to mention I heard he and the plaintiffs attorney is neighbors with Cal….
The only reason you visit 20+ different massage therapists and get all hot and bothered by (mostly) non-sexual contact is because you’re a predator that’s getting off on the power dynamic more than the physical contact. Worse the forced oral also demonstrates a pattern of escalation and a violent element to the mix.
Sincerely,
A Texans Fan Who Thought The World of Watson 2 Weeks Ago
This whole thing seems fishy. He demands a trade and is sticking to his guns then this all comes out. Curious to know what really made all these people come out of nowhere and come out about this. Feels like theirs motive behind this. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Texans were behind it. Innocent until proven guilty…nobody lives that way now a days but I believe he is innocent. If he isn’t, then he deserves whatever punishment he gets but I really don’t believe it.
You’re right, Bill Belichick conspired to drive his price down to snag him at pennies on the dollar….
Buzbee is/was a board member of the Boy Scouts of America; he’s familiar with this territory
Check out the Sports Illustrated article that was announced today. Independent verification from a seemingly credible accuser who is reportedly not connected with Buzbee. Not many talking about it yet. Makes the story less fishy for sure.
btw:
I’ve found exactly 3 sexual harassment cases with Buzbee as Attorney for the Plaintiff: 2006, 2011, & 2020
That begs the question:
of all the lawyers in the state of Texas with insanely more experience on this issue … why Buzbee?
The first woman approached Buzbee, then he put out the loud speaker for anyone that was a masseuse that may have been violated by Watson with similar evidence
to more easily prove a pattern of wrongdoing.
It’s harder to sweep it under the rug if the rug isn’t big enough to cover everything up.
I know what Busbee did. He got a list of all massage therapists that were hired and then Busbee contacted all of them. I ran businesses and had to deal with attorney’s like him. Typically they find 1 or 2 infractions, but then go digging for anyone else who may have had a similar experience. Some may be legit issues, while others may be piling on.
Watson wanted Jared Porter as GM and Matt Patricia as coach.
Damn how many massage parlors did he go to
These were not parlors
None, he had these people come to him, so he could cum to them…
The team provides them. Surprise again the owners are trying to blackmail him with the owners best friend BUZBY as the head of it all. Open your eyes. All these rich people involved should go to jail. They wont trade him so let’s blackmail him which is illegal.
Hear the fat lady singing?
Pull your head out. Busby is a known friend of the Texans owners. This is all a publicity stunt to try and force him to stay and lower his value. Do some research before you talk. Not a coincidence at all. 1