NFL investigating newest lawsuit towards Watson

The NFL says it’s reviewing a civil lawsuit filed Monday accusing Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery in October 2020 when he was a member of the Houston Texans.

“At the moment, the league just isn’t inserting Watson on the commissioner’s exempt listing, successfully paid depart, since there have been no formal costs and the NFL’s overview has simply begun,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy mentioned.

In response to the lawsuit, which was filed in Harris County, Texas, the alleged actions occurred earlier than Watson and a lady, who goes by the pseudonym “Jane Doe” within the court docket submitting, have been set to have dinner on the lady’s condo.

The lawsuit states that Watson met the girl, a single mom, at a Houston restaurant and bar, managed to get her cellphone quantity and initially tried to have her meet him on the Houston Galleria for a date. Reluctant to satisfy Watson in public, the girl as an alternative agreed to a dinner date at her condo, in accordance with the lawsuit.

On the night of the date, in accordance with the lawsuit, she mentioned Watson had hassle discovering her condo and started aggressively yelling and screaming at her on the cellphone, saying he did not “have time for this.”

The lawsuit alleges that, whereas making use of make-up in her rest room, the girl then discovered Watson “fully bare on her mattress, mendacity face down on his abdomen.” Watson then requested the girl therapeutic massage his buttocks and the girl “tried to appease Watson by rubbing his again, somewhat than his buttocks,” in accordance with the lawsuit.

Watson then turned over and “continued to demand that Jane Doe therapeutic massage him, gesturing from his knees to his groin,” in accordance with the lawsuit. The lady informed Watson that she was not a masseuse, to which Watson requested her what she needed to do as an alternative, the swimsuit alleges.

Earlier than the girl might reply, Watson “partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina with out consent, implicit or specific,” in accordance with the lawsuit, which additionally alleges that Watson sexually assaulted the girl for a number of minutes earlier than she escaped and grabbed a heavy piece of decor for self-defense. Watson then “stormed out of Jane Doe’s condo,” in accordance with the lawsuit.

In a press release to ESPN, a Browns spokesperson mentioned, “We are going to respect the due course of our authorized system affords relating to the lately filed civil swimsuit and observe the NFL’s tips on this matter.”

Watson, 28, served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after greater than two dozen ladies accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage classes. A pair of Texas grand juries declined to pursue felony costs towards Watson, however he served his suspension after the NFL and the NFL Gamers Affiliation reached a settlement in his disciplinary matter.

Watson additionally needed to pay a wonderful of $5 million and bear obligatory analysis by behavioral specialists and observe their recommended therapy program earlier than being reinstated by the league.

Watson settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits filed towards him in the summertime of 2022.

The present lawsuit filed Monday is unrelated to the lone civil swimsuit remaining from the ladies who accused Watson of sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage classes. Nonetheless, the identical lawyer, Tony Buzbee, is representing the most recent lady to sue Watson.

In March 2022, the Browns traded six draft picks, together with three first-round picks, for Watson and gave him a totally assured $230 million deal, which was an NFL file on the time.

The suspension and accidents have restricted Watson to only 13 begins with Cleveland, which features a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday — his first sport since present process season-ending shoulder surgical procedure final November. Watson accomplished 24 of 45 passes for 169 yards, 1 landing and a pair of interceptions within the loss.

ESPN’s John Barr contributed to this report.