NFL could take Deshaun Watson to federal court to increase QB's suspension
The Deshaun Watson saga has been one of the biggest storylines in the entire NFL for more than a year now. It began during the 2021 NFL offseason when he requested to be traded from the Houston Texans after leading the entire league in passing yards during the previous season.
While the Texans were never interested in trading their young superstar quarterback, Watson began to put the pressure on. Things then became complicated when Deshaun Watson was accused of several allegations of sexual misconduct. As time went on, more allegations continuously arose until the total reached well over 20 alleged victims.
Watson decided to sit out the entire 2021 NFL season while dealing with his legal situation, but also his desire to play for a different team other than the Texans. During the 2022 NFL offseason, he got his wish, as he was acquired via trade by the Cleveland Browns, despite his legal issues still pending without resolution.
The Browns doubled down on their investment by rewarding Deshaun Watson with a massive fully-guaranteed $230 million contract extension, the most guaranteed money on any contract in NFL history. While Watson avoided criminal charges after there was insufficient evidence to indict him, he still faced a significant 24 civil lawsuits.
While most civil cases have been settled out of court, Deshaun Watson still faces a lengthy suspension due to violating the league's personal conduct policy. The NFL and NFLPA hired retired judge Sue L. Robinson to oversee the case and recommend an appropriate punishment.
Here are the key conclusions that Judge Robinson offered today in her written decision to suspend Deshaun Watson for six games. https://t.co/gPW5INw09t
Resolution may finally be nearing in the Deshaun Watson saga, as Robinson recently ruled that he should be suspended for six games during the 2022 NFL season. Watson's camp and the NFLPA have informed the league office that they will accept the requested suspension and bypass their right to an appeal while also asking the NFL to do the same.
While Watson has apparently accepted the punishment, it's still up to the NFL if they want to do so as well.
What will the NFL do next after Deshaun Watson's ruling?
If the NFL front office chooses to accept Sue L. Robinson's ruling, then Deshaun Watson will officially be suspended for the first six games of the 2022 NFL season. After serving his punishment, Watson will be reinstated, allowing each side to move forward.
If the NFL is unsatisfied with the recommended length of the suspension, they have the right to appeal the ruling in federal court. It was reported that the NFL was initially seeking a full-year suspension for Deshaun Watson, so it's entirely possible they would seek an appeal to potentially extend the suspension further.
NFL statement about Judge Sue L. Robinson’s decision today: https://t.co/U7sOlUs4k2
The NFL has stated in response to the ruling that it may take a couple of days to reflect on the situation before officially deciding on their next step. If they decide to move forward with an appeal of the ruling, it will likely be a long and drawn-out process in federal court while all of the details of the case are closely reviewed by the judges.
While an appeal could result in a longer suspension for Watson, it could also simply result in the initial ruling being upheld. If an appeal were to be filed, Watson would likely be allowed to play for the Cleveland Browns until a decision is made by the appeals court. More will be revealed in the coming days when the NFL office announces their official decision.