Sexual assault lawsuit filed against QB DeShaun Watson

Gash Prex

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I had a chance to review one of the lawsuits and the behavior alleged is awful - he seemed to treat the massage therapists as prostitutes and demanding sexual acts.

given the number of lawsuits, notwithstanding the lawyers credibility, Deshaun Watson may go down as an sexual predator
 

nighthob

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May? We're past the point of no return here. I'll be shocked if he doesn't get a lifetime ban at this point.
 

Gash Prex

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May? We're past the point of no return here. I'll be shocked if he doesn't get a lifetime ban at this point.
I'm talking Bill Cosby level of sexual predator with criminal consequences.

Unless Rusty Hardin/DeShaun have some serious defense, I wasn't even thinking NFL.

<NSFW WARNING - SEXUAL ASSAULT DESCRIPTION>

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/mar1qu/comment/grtr4ef

Second Link - with copy of the Complaint:

https://www.totalprosports.com/2021/03/22/deshaun-watson-lawsuit-details-him-pushing-his-face-into-womans-butt-masseuse-slapping-him-for-grabbing-her-vagina/

You can maybe find one or two people to come up with some scheme - but 10-20 is almost impossible given the number of people that would need be involved.
 
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That is horrifying reading.

If there's one thing we ought to know here, it's that the Texans organization had no idea any of this alleged activity could be happening. Because not even the Texans could be so inept as to not trade Watson when everyone wanted him if they had any inkling this was coming...right? (One of these days, a franchise in some sport is bound to be involved in trading away someone who shortly thereafter is revealed to be a sexual predator or other serious criminal, and there's going to be one hell of a legal battle to determine who knew what when and what if any compensation needs to be given back to the acquiring team.)
 

nighthob

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I'm talking Bill Cosby level of sexual predator with criminal consequences.
Jail time is always a little trickier. I'm hoping he gets jail time, but it's Texas and football is their religion. So I'm not hopeful.

Unless Rusty Hardin/DeShaun have some serious defense, I wasn't even thinking NFL.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/mar1qu/comment/grtr4ef

You can maybe find one or two people to come up with some scheme - but 10-20 is almost impossible given the number of people that would need be involved.
Yeah, at this point he's done for. And good riddance.
 

Gash Prex

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That link is insane. I kind of wish that I didn’t read it.
I added a warning - I probably should have put that in there in the first place.

I'm not a media conspiracy person but it seems like ESPN has been treating this story with kid gloves - very serious allegations here.
 

Marciano490

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Refusing to pay his victims the agreed upon price on top of everything else.

I wonder why Buzbee included the stuff about the NFL repeatedly turning a blind eye to this sort of stuff - is he imagining a suit against the league somehow?
 

DJnVa

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I added a warning - I probably should have put that in there in the first place.

I'm not a media conspiracy person but it seems like ESPN has been treating this story with kid gloves - very serious allegations here.
It's weird, I've listened to some podcasts in the last few days--Pats-centric and NFL ones and they all talk about a potential Watson trade AND NEVER DISCUSS THIS.
 

DJnVa

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Refusing to pay his victims the agreed upon price on top of everything else.

I wonder why Buzbee included the stuff about the NFL repeatedly turning a blind eye to this sort of stuff - is he imagining a suit against the league somehow?
He's imaging that he has other women he's talked to regarding other players.
 

cornwalls@6

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It's weird, I've listened to some podcasts in the last few days--Pats-centric and NFL ones and they all talk about a potential Watson trade AND NEVER DISCUSS THIS.
I'm seeing similar print things. I don't think he has any sacred cow status, where people are giving him big leeway in their coverage. Doesn't seem like he's been around long enough/done enough to warrant that, if anybody even does anymore. Is it the dicey reputation of the lawyer causing the relative lack of traction in the media? If he's guilty of half of this( and I suspect he is), he deserves, at minimum, a very long suspension, and would have to be considered seriously damaged goods.
 

Shelterdog

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It's weird, I've listened to some podcasts in the last few days--Pats-centric and NFL ones and they all talk about a potential Watson trade AND NEVER DISCUSS THIS.
This complaint is newly released I think.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that this is his MO and he's done if dozens of times.

I remain sadly convinced that he faces zero criminal consequences and minimal NFL ones. Perhaps a half season suspension. How that plays out in conjunction with his hold out/trade demands is hard to tell.

Certainly now at the point where it's almos impossible to imagine him getting traded now. If for no other reason than the NFL would presumably tell a team not to do it.
 

Marciano490

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This complaint is newly released I think.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that this is his MO and he's done if dozens of times.

I remain sadly convinced that he faces zero criminal consequences and minimal NFL ones. Perhaps a half season suspension. How that plays out in conjunction with his hold out/trade demands is hard to tell.

Certainly now at the point where it's almos impossible to imagine him getting traded now. If for no other reason than the NFL would presumably tell a team not to do it.
I have as low an opinion of the NFL as anyone else, but no way he plays again, right? Would Roethlisberger still be in the league if he had committed his crimes this off-season?
 

DJnVa

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This complaint is newly released I think.
Yes, this specific one is but this has been out there since Tuesday and some of these are post-FA pods. We'll see what happens.

Before this, I always thought Watson was considered a "good guy", as far as that goes. Crazy.
 

Mystic Merlin

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First off, we are likely better off with ESPN saying little until there is something to say beyond sharing the mere facts. Do we really need some former athletes or management types or the latest hot take artist coming on Around the Horn or something to spout off about this?

As to the NFL’s part in this, under the CBA they could put him on the commissioner’s exempt list (I.e., paid leave) even if no criminal charges are brought since all the NFL has to evidence is that the player ‘may have’ committed a violent crime based on an investigation . You would think the numerous factual pleadings in the complaints would be sufficient for this purpose, even if the lawyer/women don’t agree to talk to the NFL’s investigators. Actually suspending him is a lot trickier to accomplish, but the NFL can definitely take a run at keeping him off the field.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Refusing to pay his victims the agreed upon price on top of everything else.

I wonder why Buzbee included the stuff about the NFL repeatedly turning a blind eye to this sort of stuff - is he imagining a suit against the league somehow?
I guess it's possible that Buzbee actually has some non-financial interest in this whole thing and is genuinely hoping to use the cases to affect positive change.

Probably not. But it is nice to at least imagine altruistic motives.
 

Shelterdog

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I have as low an opinion of the NFL as anyone else, but no way he plays again, right? Would Roethlisberger still be in the league if he had committed his crimes this off-season?
If you think there's no way he plays again, well then you have a higher opinion of the NFL than I do. Unless he's indicted on felony charges (an increasing possibility to be sure) I think he plays again (and I think Big Ben would still play as well).

Tyreek Hill is an absolute star and no one gives a shit.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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If you think there's no way he plays again, well then you have a higher opinion of the NFL than I do. Unless he's indicted on felony charges (an increasing possibility to be sure) I think he plays again (and I think Big Ben would still play as well).

Tyreek Hill is an absolute star and no one gives a shit.
Yeah, I'm worried about this too. I suspect there will be a vocal meathead fan contingent that blames the victims because they are in the massage business and "what did they expect" or whatever meatheads say. And while the NFL will not endorse that view it will give the NFL enough cover to make a show without long-term teeth.
 

BigSoxFan

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If you think there's no way he plays again, well then you have a higher opinion of the NFL than I do. Unless he's indicted on felony charges (an increasing possibility to be sure) I think he plays again (and I think Big Ben would still play as well).

Tyreek Hill is an absolute star and no one gives a shit.
Yeah, I would love to be more confident in this but remain highly skeptical. Antonio Brown was allowed to return and he has multiple offenses. Ditto for Tyreek Hill. I will be really curious about what the Texans do here. He is the franchise's most valuable asset so they have selfish incentives for putting him out there. Will there be enough support for benching/cutting him from the fans to force their hand? Sadly, I doubt it.

I'd also be curious about the contractual implications. Can the Texans even get out of the cap commitment if they wanted to?
 

Gash Prex

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I'd normally agree if we were talking 1 -2 alleged "he said she said" because of the proof difficulties - but we are talking 13 alleged assaults with similar (assaultive) behavior...I think he is done unless there is some smoking gun evidence of a vast criminal conspiracy against him...
 

Marciano490

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If you think there's no way he plays again, well then you have a higher opinion of the NFL than I do. Unless he's indicted on felony charges (an increasing possibility to be sure) I think he plays again (and I think Big Ben would still play as well).

Tyreek Hill is an absolute star and no one gives a shit.
Yeah, you’re right. I could see Collinsworth and Michael’s glowing about the “off-season adversity” Watson bravely overcame to get back out on the field.
 

EvilEmpire

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I don't know. As the number of allegations increase, and given some of the details that have come out already, I'm getting more of a Kellen Winslow II vibe from all this than AB, Hill and other cases of misconduct.

Which isn't to say that other misconduct (punished or not) hasn't been similar or worse, just that the scope and pattern of it all seems broader. At least so far.
 

dirtynine

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The charges describe a serial rapist. If anything he sounds closer to Weinstein or Cosby more than any NFL comps. Somewhat different industry and all, but in those cases, there wasn't any coming back from those allegations. It's happening with Armie Hammer right now. These are the kind of charges that, if substantiated, should rightly end careers. I guess we'll see how far we've come.
 

mauf

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If I remember correctly, the NFL needs one of three things to punish Watson: (1) a criminal conviction, (2) an admission, or (3) their own investigation of the matter. I’m not sure why so many people are confident that Watson won’t be on the field when Week 1 rolls around — (1) won’t happen on that timeline, (2) won’t happen ever, and it’s anyone’s guess whether the women accusing Watson will cooperate with an NFL investigation of the allegations.
 

nighthob

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If I remember correctly, the NFL needs one of three things to punish Watson: (1) a criminal conviction, (2) an admission, or (3) their own investigation of the matter. I’m not sure why so many people are confident that Watson won’t be on the field when Week 1 rolls around — (1) won’t happen on that timeline, (2) won’t happen ever, and it’s anyone’s guess whether the women accusing Watson will cooperate with an NFL investigation of the allegations.
While I think it's possible (and maybe even probable) that NFL investigators try to force the third scenario, I'm having trouble believing that even the NFL is that tone deaf.
 

Shelterdog

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If I remember correctly, the NFL needs one of three things to punish Watson: (1) a criminal conviction, (2) an admission, or (3) their own investigation of the matter. I’m not sure why so many people are confident that Watson won’t be on the field when Week 1 rolls around — (1) won’t happen on that timeline, (2) won’t happen ever, and it’s anyone’s guess whether the women accusing Watson will cooperate with an NFL investigation of the allegations.
Watson would also ask for NDAs--at least vis as vis the NFL--as part of any settlement. And get them too.

I'd also be curious to get RR's views on the extent of the potential criminal liability (and a prosecutor's appetite for that risk). I think this board is vastly overstimating his criminal exposure and that a long jail term--perhaps even any jail term--is unlikely on the allegations disclosed thus far. Again--obviously--there could be more and it wouldn't be surprisng if there is more.
 
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steveluck7

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My apologies if this has been brought up previously in this thread but I was just wondering if this was (is) the cause of the complete dumpster fire that is the current Houston Texans. Is it possible that the organization knew about their predator QB and just let it continue on, unchecked. Kind of one of those things everyone knows but no one speaks about? Then when Easterby took over, given his “character coach” background, he wasn’t having any of it and that caused the rift within the organization?

edit: I don’t want this post to be read as a defense of Easterby. I think he’s a huckster and supremely under qualified for his position.
 

nighthob

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My apologies if this has been brought up previously in this thread but I was just wondering if this was (is) the cause of the complete dumpster fire that is the current Houston Texans. Is it possible that the organization knew about their predator QB and just let it continue on, unchecked. Kind of one of those things everyone knows but no one speaks about? Then when Easterby took over, given his “character coach” background, he wasn’t having any of it and that caused the rift within the organization?

edit: I don’t want this post to be read as a defense of Easterby. I think he’s a huckster and supremely under qualified for his position.
Given the latest revelations I now tend towards the view that if the Texans had any idea that they were employing a sexual predator that they would have traded him to one of his preferred teams regardless of what the offer was and have let that organization deal with the fallout.
 

Mystic Merlin

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My apologies if this has been brought up previously in this thread but I was just wondering if this was (is) the cause of the complete dumpster fire that is the current Houston Texans. Is it possible that the organization knew about their predator QB and just let it continue on, unchecked. Kind of one of those things everyone knows but no one speaks about? Then when Easterby took over, given his “character coach” background, he wasn’t having any of it and that caused the rift within the organization?
There is no evidence in the reporting to-date that the Texans management was aware of potential sexual offenses being perpetrated by Watson. Heck, there isn’t any evidence in reporting that Easterby, McNair or Caserio had any problems with Watson at all until Watson demanded a trade because they’re a mess and, at least in his view, Texans management broke a promise to consult with him about the coaching search (or, with respect to McNair, the GM search that culminated in Caserio’s hire).
 

Awesome Fossum

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I don't know. As the number of allegations increase, and given some of the details that have come out already, I'm getting more of a Kellen Winslow II vibe from all this than AB, Hill and other cases of misconduct.

Which isn't to say that other misconduct (punished or not) hasn't been similar or worse, just that the scope and pattern of it all seems broader. At least so far.
Darren Sharper also comes to mind.
 

Gash Prex

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If I remember correctly, the NFL needs one of three things to punish Watson: (1) a criminal conviction, (2) an admission, or (3) their own investigation of the matter. I’m not sure why so many people are confident that Watson won’t be on the field when Week 1 rolls around — (1) won’t happen on that timeline, (2) won’t happen ever, and it’s anyone’s guess whether the women accusing Watson will cooperate with an NFL investigation of the allegations.
Unless they changed the rule about a player being placed on Commissioner Exempt List, there is no way on this earth that the NFL or Houston puts him on the field for Week 1 while there are 13-22 sexual assault claims against him pending. NFL will investigate and if the plaintiff was willing to providence to the police, I'm sure the NFL will proceed accordingly.
 

azsoxpatsfan

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Unless they changed the rule about a player being placed on Commissioner Exempt List, there is no way on this earth that the NFL or Houston puts him on the field for Week 1 while there are 13-22 sexual assault claims against him pending. NFL will investigate and if the plaintiff was willing to providence to the police, I'm sure the NFL will proceed accordingly.
I think one of those three things is needed to suspend him, which means he’ll still get paid. But agreed he’s certain to be placed on the exempt list if the option to suspend is unavailable by the start of the season
 

JM3

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My apologies if this has been brought up previously in this thread but I was just wondering if this was (is) the cause of the complete dumpster fire that is the current Houston Texans. Is it possible that the organization knew about their predator QB and just let it continue on, unchecked. Kind of one of those things everyone knows but no one speaks about? Then when Easterby took over, given his “character coach” background, he wasn’t having any of it and that caused the rift within the organization?

edit: I don’t want this post to be read as a defense of Easterby. I think he’s a huckster and supremely under qualified for his position.
He might have just run out of masseuses to harass in Houston & made a list of teams in promising masseuse markets.
 

Marciano490

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Well, that video just kept getting worse. 14-18 year olds? Imagine not only thinking like that, but wanting to drop it in a public interview.
 

jose melendez

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I intitialy was skeptical because Buzbee is clearly a sleaze and his initital statement was so bizarre.

But it seems, really, really unlikely that there's no fire there at this point.
 

TheYellowDart5

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Watson has committed at least a dozen sexual assaults and that's just what we've learned about in the last 48 hours. The NFL would put on a season through atomic fallout so I understand folks skeptical he'll face serious discipline but those alone should guarantee that he never plays a down this year if ever again.
 

E5 Yaz

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I intitialy was skeptical because Buzbee is clearly a sleaze and his initital statement was so bizarre.

But it seems, really, really unlikely that there's no fire there at this point.
I agree here's too much here for there not to be something substantive to the claims., and I think the thing that creates any hesitancy at all is the timing.

If it were a sleazy lawyer money grab, why wouldn't it have come out closer to when he signed the big contract? Because he still played for the Texans, the team this same lawyer bought billboard space to get his "neighbor" McNair to draft Johnny Manziel?

Watson wants out and ... it's open season.

How it never emerged before this, and how Buzbee came to learn of it, would be fascinating to learn.
 

loshjott

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Re: the Hill vs. Watson comparison, I feel like #MeToo has succeeded in raising the profile of sexual crimes against women in a way that non-sexual assault against women hasn't been. As such, I'd say there's at least a decent chance that Watson's career will suffer more than Hill's has.
Plus he’s a QB, face of the franchise. He’s done.
 

mauf

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I think one of those three things is needed to suspend him, which means he’ll still get paid. But agreed he’s certain to be placed on the exempt list if the option to suspend is unavailable by the start of the season
I forgot that Adrian Peterson spent basically a full season on the exempt list. Yeah, the NFL will be able to keep him off the field if this isn’t somehow resolved by training camp.