1:02pm: If Robinson does hand Watson a six- or eight-game suspension, the NFL’s patience might be tested. Refuting the AP’s report, Cabot notes the NFL would not accept such a ban if that was Robinson’s decision. A league appeal would follow. Considering the consistency associated with the NFL’s punishment aim — a year-long suspension or an indefinite ban that covers all of the 2022 season — it is not surprising the league would use an appeal to secure it. This hearing may last into Thursday night, Cabot adds.
9:31am: The Deshaun Watson hearing will continue Wednesday in Delaware, and Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes it could drag into Thursday. While a decision from disciplinary officer Sue Robinson is expected this week, post-hearing measures could further extend this drawn-out process.
An appeal from either the NFL or NFLPA would move this well into July, but the league is aiming to avoid such a move, according to The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi (on Twitter). This could mean accepting a Watson punishment lighter than the NFL’s targeted year-long ban.
The league has the back-pocket tool of Roger Goodell (or someone the commissioner chooses) presiding over an appeal, which would enable the NFL to ultimately achieve its desired punishment goal. But the league would prefer to abide by Robinson’s decision, even if it means Watson is banned for only six or eight games, Maaddi adds.
Given how long the Watson saga has been a headache for the league and considering the combination of reports and additional accusations to emerge after the quarterback’s 2022 trade to the Browns, a six- or eight-game suspension might not be viewed as sufficient. But a ban that allows Watson to play in the season’s second half appears on the table, though it is not known if Robinson will be on board with a compromise that appeases the NFLPA.
The NFL leaking its desire to not appeal could be perceived as a tactic to prompt Robinson to impose some form discipline, rather than deeming Watson did not violate the personal conduct policy at all (which would negate an NFL appeal effort), Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk offers, noting the league could then appeal. Members of the league office have voiced opinions Watson should not be allowed to play until at least 2023, Florio adds.
That said, if Robinson agrees with the NFL that Watson should not be permitted to play in 2022, Cabot adds the NFLPA will appeal. The NFL, which interviewed 11 of Watson’s accusers and spoke with women who did not file suit against him, views Watson’s behavior during massage sessions as a “disturbing pattern,” Cabot notes. A New York Times report earlier this month indicated Watson received massages from at least 66 women from fall 2019 to spring 2021. Nearly 30 have accused him of sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault, with the Texans now being hit with suits. Although two grand juries did not indict the Pro Bowl QB, the NFL’s personal conduct policy does not require charges for suspensions to commence.
The best punishment is that when this guy is able to play again after his lengthy but probably too short suspension is he has to play for the browns, in Cleveland. He deserves it
I’d play for the Cleveland Browns for 230 million.
I’d play for the Browns for 23 even 2.3 million.
Possibly even 230,000.
Me too
I’d do it for 23/hr
I’d do it for the health care!
But he originally said he wouldn’t, even with very little leverage and this circus hanging over him. It wasn’t until the geniuses offered that ridiculous contract did he agree to go there.
Ooh, how original. “Has to play for the Browns” cracks are as original as knock knock jokes.
I’m a Sacramento kings fan, I am not punching down. Don’t get so butthurt
The Lakers stepchild I see. The only time the Kings were any good, the Lakers were better
Yup got jobbed in 02 and never recovered.
I rooted for them. They were the Cincinnati Royals at one point and then went to KC.
17 games
12 games if he completes a program
10 games if he completes a program and donates 5%-10% of his contract to different women’s charities and what not
8 games if he does a program, donates money, and signs an agreement with the league saying he will only get massages from male masseurs from now on.
Start at full year and knock it down based on certain criteria he has to go through.
How many games if he goes through emasculation?
He’d have to be a man first.
What kind of program is there for a rich athlete who likes sex?
Sex anonymous meetings like AA and therapy.
I like the tiered punishment.
No suspension, Cleveland just surrenders all their draft picks each season he plays.
This is stupid. NFL wants to suspend him for a season. NFLPA says, “Nah, no suspension at all.”
BS. Get out of here. No special privileges just because of a certain thing. Anybody else would already be in jail.
Like Ben?
That’s not how you spell Deshaun.
Not really, 2 judges have declined to press criminal charges against him meaning there wouldn’t have been enough evidence to convict him in a court of law since I’m guessing most of the trial would be circumstantial/ he said-she said.
The NFLPA wants to go through the arbitrator so the NFL cant try to make an example of him and make an egregious punishment like Rob Manfred did to Trevor Bauer.
He should have an example made of him:
IF YOU DO ILLEGALLY THINGS MULTIPLE TIMES YOU WILL NOT PLAY IN THE NFL.
Message sent. The NFL tried to clean up their image in regard to women and sexual assault/abuse/violence. That’s why Ray Rice and Greg Hardy got lengthy bans even though neither of them were convicted criminally.
Let this be a lesson kids. Book Happy Endings from Escorts and not Instagram Thots.
There needs to be a poll conducted in which NFL players are asked how many different massage therapists each player utilizes. I read somewhere that the typical player goes to 1 maybe 2 therapists. Does anyone out there know of such a poll that’s already been conducted? You’d think that that info, if in fact minimal therapists are the norm, would somewhat serve as a reason to condemn Watson’s actions.
And those people are either on staff or contracted by the team to do the work and do it at the facility. To have an arrangement to have one player peruse social media to fly them in from out of town, show up at a hotel and sign an NDA is so far from the norm it’s ridiculous. And to have that done dozens of toilets is even more ludicrous.
I had heard that PH, and thx for the response. I’m assuming your last sentence was supposed to read TIMES and not TOILETS but maybe not LOL.
Yes, times, not sure why autocorrect went with toilets, but it is Deshaun Watson were discussing so it’s not far off.
And the Browns
Watson says he doesn’t know what he did wrong…and I believe him. That is why he needs a lengthy suspension. So he has time to figure out what is wrong with his behavior.
The NFL can kick Gruden in the can, but they fear Watson
SMH
If Watson gets a year suspension he could change his name to Josh Gordon and get reinstated in a month.
That only happened when he played for the Patriots. Gee, I wonder why. Spygate, deflategate, prostitutiongate.