"Utter baloney" - Tony Buzbee blasts NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over Deshaun Watson's revised 11-game suspension
Deshaun Watson had five more games added to his initial six-game suspension, bringing the total to 11 games while being given a fine of $ 5 million. While some find the suspension and the fine enough, attorney Tony Buzbee has a major issue with it and with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
In a statement, Buzbee, who represents the over 20 women who have accused the Cleveland Browns quarterback of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, blasted Goodell:
“By settling this matter the way he has, Roger Goodell has proven one of two things: either his recent rhetoric was utter baloney, or his bark is much worse than his bite. My belief is that he is nothing more than a paper tiger.
Buzbee added that the league has proved it doesn't care about the victims:
“The message today to all victims is clear: If you believe you have been sexually assaulted by a powerful person, keep your mouth shut and go away. The NFL has certainly demonstrated that its ownership and the organization doesn’t care.”
Statement from Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the women who sued Watson: https://t.co/uHOwo09raU
Buzbee ended his statement by telling survivors of sexual assault to keep speaking up and that their voices matter, regardless of the quarterback's punishment:
“To all sexual assault survivors, do not allow this recent ‘punishment’ to deter you. Keep speaking up and keep speaking out. Your voice matters. You are making a difference. We stand with you.”
Watson was traded from the texans" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Houston Texans to the Browns this offseason after sitting out the entire 2021 season. Cleveland quickly gave the quarterback a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
Roger Goodell and the league's stance on a longer suspension for Watson
To Buzbee's point, Goodell used the words "egregious" and "predatory" when talking about Watson's actions as the league was pushing for a year-long suspension after the six-game ban announced by judge Sue L. Robinson, saying:
“Because we’ve seen the evidence. She [disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson] was very clear about the evidence. She reinforced the evidence that there [were] multiple violations here and they were egregious and it was predatory behavior.”
The NFL had an opportunity to show it had learned from its ugly history on standing up for Women with this Deshaun Watson case and IT FAILED. 11 games and a 5 million dollar fine doesn’t fit what he was accused of doing and found to have done by Judge Sue L. Robinson. Sickening.
The 26-year-old quarterback will play for the Browns this season, and his first game will be against his former team, the Texans, in Week 13. Many NFL fans see this as ironic, given that the Watson saga began when he was with the team.
For the quarterback, the page to a new chapter was turned, while for others, they felt the suspension was not enough.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the New York Post, Sports Illustrated, and H/T Sportskeeda.