"I'ma humbly deny" - Deshaun Watson pleads innocence after NYT report claims QB used services of at least 66 massage therapists in 17 months
Deshaun Watson's pit of worries continued to deepen on Tuesday, as a New York Times article from reporter Jenny Vrentas alleged that the quarterback visited, at least, 66 massage therapists in a 17-month period between 2019 and 2021.
Deshaun Watson received massages from at least 66 different women in a 17-month period. Some of these women, speaking publicly for the first time, described experiences that undercut his insistence he was only seeking professional massage therapy: nytimes.com/2022/06/07/spo…
The report also detailed testimonies from a few therapists who claimed Watson behaved inappropriately and also coerced sexual favors. The report from the New York Times comes on the heels of another therapist filing a sexual misconduct lawsuit against the Cleveland Browns star. The plaintiff alleged that the quarterback got an erection during a massage session and asked her to touch his genitals.
Deshaun Watson, who was present at the Cleveland Browns' offseason workout in Ohio earlier this week, responded to the report on social media.
The quarterback posted a screenshot of the lyrics from artist Lil Baby and Lil Durk's song, "Rich Off Pain," which also features Rod Wave. The screenshot of the lyrics read:
"See, the blogs can't break me down, see, I'm the voice, I don't reply. But the rumors y'all done heard, I'ma humbly deny, yeah, yeah."
Deshaun Watson on Instagram, reacting to today’s New York Times story: https://t.co/TkSKi2PaiC
The screenshot implies that the Browns quarterback is denying the allegations levied against him in the New York Times report.
Will Deshaun Watson play in the 2022 NFL season?
The first allegations of sexual misconduct against Deshaun Watson were levied in May 2021. The Houston Texans benched the quarterback for the entire 2021 season after he demanded a trade away from the franchise, before finally dealing him to the Browns for a barrage of draft picks.
The NFL has been aware of the situation for over a year but hasn't announced any punishment for the quarterback. A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, did not indict Deshaun Watson over criminal charges, which likely helped him escape punishment.
But with the number of plaintiffs who have filed a civil lawsuit against Watson rising to 24 and the latest report from the New York Times alleging there are even more massage therapists who have been sexually harassed by the quarterback, it's hard to envision the league not reprimanding the quarterback.
It's safe to assume that Watson won't be suiting up for the Browns for most, if not all, of the 2022 NFL season.