In a shocking turn of events, the Cleveland Browns’ star quarterback, Watson, found himself in the midst of a scandal as a civil lawsuit was filed accusing him of assaulting a woman during a date in October 2020. The allegations sent shockwaves through the NFL community, but despite the gravity of the situation, the league has decided not to place Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt List for now.
NFL Network Insider, Tom Pelissero, reported that the league is currently reviewing the complaint under its Personal Conduct Policy. “We are reviewing the complaint and we will look into the matter,” the NFL said in a statement released on Tuesday.
The lawsuit details disturbing allegations against Watson, claiming that he stripped naked and made inappropriate demands during a visit to the woman’s apartment before committing the alleged assault. This latest accusation comes on the heels of Watson reaching confidential settlements with 20 women in 2022, all of whom had accused him of sexual misconduct.
In response to the previous settlements, the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million for violations of its conduct policy. However, this time around, the league has decided not to suspend Watson for Week 2, citing the absence of criminal charges and the early stage of the investigation as reasons for their decision.
The woman, represented by attorney Tony Buzbee, who also handled the previous cases against Watson, has expressed her determination to take this matter to trial. “This is an extremely serious matter. We want a jury trial,” Buzbee stated firmly.
The accuser, who initially hesitated to come forward due to Watson’s high-profile status, described how she managed to escape the alleged altercation by grabbing a piece of décor for self-defense and demanding that Watson leave her apartment. The situation continues to unfold as the NFL grapples with how to handle the accusations against one of its star players.