The Deshaun Watson Situation Is Getting Out Of Hand
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images via thespun.com)
Deshaun Watson is making national headlines yet again this offseason, but this time it’s for all the wrong reasons. Rather than rumors regarding where Watson will play next or more drama between him and the team’s front office, the Houston Texans quarterback has had numerous lawsuits filed against him for inappropriate conduct and sexual assault.
The lawsuits against Watson first came about on March 16 and 17 when Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee filed three of them, each relating to separate instances with accusations from multiple massage therapists.
Fast forward to March 22 and now a resounding 11 more civil lawsuits have been filed against the former pro-bowler bringing the total to 14 with 24 total claims. Watson is being accused of sexual misconduct ranging from inappropriate touching to even a forced sexual act. Disgusting.
These allegations are coming directly from female massage therapists who were hired by Deshaun Watson during the COVID-19 pandemic, as his usual massage parlor shut down.
My initial reaction was pure shock. Not that I would expect any professional athlete to commit such heinous acts, but it was hard to imagine Watson especially being that kind of person. Houston loved Watson and everything he had done for the city including countless charitable acts, but that relationship seems long gone after everything that’s come out against him.
When I saw the first set of allegations come out, I was concerned, but hadn’t lost hope in Watson considering there have been numerous false allegations against athletes in the past such as Shawn Oakman, whose career was ruined thanks to a false rape claim. But now after 14 lawsuits… I’m thinking Deshaun Watson may never play a down of football in the NFL again.
To no surprise, Watson, his agent David Mulugheta and his legal representation Rusty Hardin are combating the detailed claims. Mulugheta tweeted this after the initial lawsuits surfaced:
All victims voices should be heard in situations like this, regardless of how famous or talented the assailant might be. The women who came forward are incredibly brave to speak up against a powerful figure like Watson and combat the NFL’s precious image in the media. At the end of the day, all of the information these women provided in the lawsuits adds up, makes complete sense, and looks really bad for Watson.
Of course, I’m no judge and jury, so the result from these lawsuits is still to be determined. One thing I can promise is that Watson’s career will never be the same. Football fans have already speculated whether or not Watson will even suit up this season, but if the cases against him go south I’m not sure when and where he would suit up next. If I am an NFL owner -- I want nothing to do with this kind of stuff, I don’t care how many pro bowls you can make or playoff games you can win, I wouldn’t want that kind of person leading the locker room.
Watson is in enough legal trouble on his own as is, but sports fans have been left wondering when will the league get involved? The NFL has released blanket statements suggesting they are “looking into the situation” even though no set and stone course of action has been published.
First Take’s Molly Qerim hit the nail on the head when she gave her take on the situation:
Qerim is exactly right, the NFL has failed women in the past with situations like Ray Rice’s and they now have an opportunity to learn from their wrongdoings and set the standard going forward. Even if all of these accusations turn out to be false(somehow), the NFL needs to get involved immediately or else they are sending a message to fans that they are essentially bystanders.
Whatever’s going to happen with Watson and whatever the league decides to do regarding an investigation remains up in the air.