By: Sophia Yingxuan Wang

Deshaun Watson, quarterback for the Houston Texans, booked appointments with many different women, claiming he was seeking professional massage therapy.

In a public statement, Watson said he hired 40 different therapists across his five seasons in Houston. However, the New York Times found that from fall 2019 to spring 2021, he scheduled massage appointments with at least 66 different women.

He was insistent in his requests for sexual actions during their massage, according to one woman who spoke to the Times and did not sue Watson or report him to the authorities. Many other women who did sue Deshaun had similar allegations against him.

The lawyer of the 24 women who sued Watson questioned him about his interactions with a flight attendant, who was one of the 24 women that sued Watson. Watson was repeatedly asked why he could not have reached out to one of his previous therapists, responding that it was “definitely possible”, but he did not.

Watson has already reached settlements with 20 of the 24 women.

Following an Instagram conversation in November 2020, Watson learned that the woman was a massage therapist and sent a message requesting an appointment. Watson told her, “Just trying to promote black businesses.”

According to a person familiar with the situation, the NFL is prepared to make its case for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson to receive an indefinite suspension without pay of at least one year at the hearing beginning on Tuesday.

However the NFL Players Association is expected to argue for a less severe punishment for Watson. The disciplinary officer for the league and the NFLPA, former US district judge Sue Robinson, will make the ruling. The league could appeal the penalty to NFL commissioner Roger Godell if she rules that Watson did violate the personal conduct policy. If she rules that Watson did not, then it would not be possible to appeal.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/sports/football/deshaun-watson.html