CLEVELAND — Deshaun Watson has settled three of the four remaining lawsuits against him ahead of Monday's suspension ruling, News 5 has confirmed.
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Houston attorney Tony Buzbee released the following statement:
"After lengthy and intense negotiations, I can confirm that, late last night, our team resolved three of the four remaining civil cases with Deshaun Watson. We will continue to discuss the remaining case with Watson’s legal team, as appropriate. This case started because one woman had the fortitude to step forward and make her voice heard. Her courage inspired many others with the same experience. None of this saga would have occurred without that one brave voice. One person can make a difference.I have been asked repeatedly about my thoughts in regard to the NFL’s proceeding with Deshaun Watson. Although some of my clients do have strong feelings in that regard, I have nothing meaningful to say about that process. I’ve said in the beginning that the civil process and the NFL’s disciplinary process are very different. My role was to advance the cause of my clients, in civil court—nothing more. I’ve done that. I am extremely proud of these women and our legal team’s efforts. The settlements are confidential. I won’t comment further on them."
The settlement comes as former U.S. District Court Judge Sue L. Robinson, the disciplinary officer presiding over the investigation into Watson, is expected to make a decision.
Watson and the NFL Players Association spoke out ahead of the expected decision regarding possible discipline for Watson. The NFLPA put out a statement “in advance of Robinson’s decision” stating that it would stand by the decision of the ruling.
In advance of Judge Robinson’s decision, we wanted to reiterate the facts of this proceeding. First, we have fully cooperated with every NFL inquiry and provided the NFL with the most comprehensive set of information for any personal conduct policy investigation. A former Federal Judge - appointed jointly by the NFLPA and NFL - held a full and fair hearing, has read thousands of pages of investigative documents and reviewed arguments from both sides impartially. Every player, owner, business partner and stakeholder deserves to know that our process is legitimate and will not be tarnished based on the whims of the League office. This is why, regardless of her decision, Deshaun and the NFLPA will stand by her ruling and we call on the NFL to do the same.
Watson's is the first case to be heard by Robinson as part of the new league discipline policy agreed upon in the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2020. As per the CBA, violations of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy are initially determined by a jointly appointed disciplinary officer after serving as the hearing officer.
The hearings began on June 28 and lasted three days before wrapping on June 30. The NFL was responsible for presenting evidence that Watson violated the Personal Conduct Policy, and, after doing so, both sides were given around two weeks to submit post-hearing briefs to Robinson, which the CBA maxes out at five pages, single-spaced. The CBA outlines three days as the deadline after the hearing to file the briefs but also allows the timelines to be extended by mutual agreement, which occurred in Watson's case, and the briefs were set to be filed by July 12.
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In March, two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints stemming from the allegations.
Watson has been accused by massage therapists of harassing, assaulting or touching them during appointments when he was playing for the Houston Texans.
He has denied all allegations.
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