In a recent turn of events, the NFL has made the decision not to suspend star quarterback Deshaun Watson amidst new allegations of sexual assault. The accuser, only identified as Jane Doe in court filings, has come forward with a lawsuit against Watson, claiming an incident that took place in October 2020 while he was still with the Houston Texans.
According to the accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, a crucial piece of evidence in the form of a video will be presented to support the plaintiff’s claims. Buzbee also mentioned that two additional witnesses who allegedly spoke to the woman immediately after the incident will be available for the NFL to interview. “We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I’ve personally never had confidence in the NFL’s disciplinary process, but my client has chosen to engage it,” Buzbee shared.
The NFL has confirmed that they are reviewing the case under the league’s personal conduct policy. However, no formal charges have been filed against Watson, and he will not be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list. The new complaint was filed in Harris County, Texas, with Jane Doe seeking over $1 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
These allegations stem from an incident that occurred prior to Watson’s high-profile trade from the Texans to the Cleveland Browns. Watson’s legal team has indicated that they will challenge the accuser’s anonymity in court, as they have done in previous cases.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, Watson is currently eligible to play, and Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has confirmed that the quarterback will start in the team’s upcoming Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Watson continues to deny any wrongdoing in this latest case.
