Don’t Mess With Texas? Deshaun Watson Accusers To Attend Browns-Texans
Quarterback Deshaun Watson last stepped on the field at NRG Stadium as the Houston Texans starting quarterback in a 41-38 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 3, 2021.
He will return on Sunday for his first in-game action since that day, as a member of the Texans’ Week 13 opponent, the Cleveland Browns.
Having sat out the entire 2021 season due to a trade demand and multiple allegations of sexual assault, the Texans finally traded Watson to the Browns in March. Shortly thereafter, he was suspended for 11 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, in the wake of being accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct during massage sessions during his time in Houston.
Despite being faced with an onslaught of civil litigation, Watson has not been charged criminally. In fact, he has refrained from acknowledging any wrongdoing from the start. However, 26 lawsuits, in total, were filed; 23 of which have been settled. One suit was dropped, while two remain outstanding.
Watson, who was officially reinstated Monday, will make his 2022 debut against his former team.
Though Texans fans, in general, are unlikely to welcome him back with open arms, Watson will also be greeted by an … interesting … welcoming committee.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented Watson’s first 25 accusers, recently informed The Athletic that he has invited each of his clients to attend Sunday’s game as his guest in a hospitality suite at NRG Stadium.
“I will be there to welcome Deshaun back to Houston,” Buzbee said while declaring that the would be there with “bells and whistles on.”
Buzbee indicated that 10 have accepted his invitation, while others have expressed their lack of interest in attending.
“You think you put us behind you, but we are still here,” Buzbee stated.
Watson, the No. 12 overall pick in 2017, spent his first five seasons in the league in Houston. In 54 games with the Texans, he amassed 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns while completing 67.8 percent of his passes. He has also rushed for 1677 yards on 307 carries and 17 touchdowns.
After a grand jury in Houston decided not to indict Watson on nine criminal complaints in March, several NFL teams began making their pitches to Watson, who was granted permission from the team to seek a trade.
The Clemson product eventually chose the Browns, who offered first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024 along with a fourth-round pick in 2022, a third-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2024 in exchange for his services, along with a 2024 sixth-round pick.
In turn, Cleveland signed Watson to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract, the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history.
Rusty Hardin, Watson's lead attorney, declined to comment, citing confidentiality agreements from the settled lawsuits.
The Texans and Browns are slated for a Noon kickoff on Sunday, Dec, 4 from NRG Stadium in Houston.
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