Image Source: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Was the Accusation?
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faced allegations of sexual misconduct from numerous women who provided him with massage therapy while he was playing for the Houston Texans. Beginning in March 2021, women filed civil lawsuits accusing Watson of conduct that included exposing himself, unwanted sexual contact, and other inappropriate or coercive behavior during massage sessions. Watson denied wrongdoing and maintained that sexual activity that occurred was consensual. Two Texas grand juries declined to indict him on criminal complaints, but the absence of criminal charges did not end the civil litigation or the NFL’s separate disciplinary process.
In August 2022, disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson concluded that the NFL had proved, under the league’s evidentiary standard, that Watson violated its Personal Conduct Policy. Her findings concerning four massage therapists included sexual assault as the NFL defined that term for purposes of its policy, conduct posing a danger to another person’s safety and well-being, and conduct undermining the NFL’s integrity. Robinson initially imposed a six-game suspension and identified Watson’s lack of expressed remorse as an aggravating consideration. The NFL appealed the punishment.
On August 12, while that appeal remained unresolved, Watson publicly apologized to women affected by the controversy during a Cleveland Browns pregame interview with Aditi Kinkhabwala. He expressed regret for decisions that had placed him in the situation and said he intended to continue counseling, improve his decision-making, and grow personally. Six days later, the NFL and NFL Players Association reached a settlement imposing an 11-game suspension, a $5 million fine, and mandatory evaluation and treatment. Watson nevertheless continued to maintain that he had never assaulted or disrespected anyone. Most of the civil cases were resolved through confidential settlements. By February 2026, court records showed that the last two of nearly 30 civil lawsuits associated with allegations against Watson had been dismissed. The resolutions did not constitute findings that the underlying allegations were either true or false.
Deshaun Watson’s August 12, 2022 pregame interview with Aditi Kinkhabwala:
Kinkhabwala: “OK, Deshaun. As you get ready to get on the bus, let’s just start with this one: It’s been 19 months since you played a game of competitive football. How are you feeling about that?”
Watson: “I’m super excited. I’m excited to get out there with my new teammates and go out there and compete. Each and every snap, I want to make sure I cherish that because I’m not sure when the next time I’ll be able to get out there with those guys so I’m super excited.”
Kinkhabwala: “As you say that, your eligibility is still in question, and although this appeal is ongoing, I have to ask you: The initial ruling from Judge Sue (L.) Robinson made a very specific point of saying that your lack of remorse played into her decision making. It’s been a part of the narrative surrounding you. What is your response to that?”
Watson: “Look, I want to say that I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation. The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back, but I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward.”
Kinkhabwala: “Grow and learn, we fully expect that there will be some time that you are away from the team. What does your growth on a personal level look like? How are you spending that time?”
Watson: “I know I have a lot of work to put in, especially on the field to be able to make sure I’m ready to play whenever that time comes whenever I can step back on the field, but also, the biggest thing is I want to continue counseling and I want to make sure that I’m growing as a person, as an individual for my decision making on and off the field. I want to make sure that I’m just evolving in the community as much as possible, and that is for the Cleveland community, that is the NFL community and beyond.”
Kinkhabwala: “OK, we appreciate the time, Deshaun.”
