UPDATE: Watson Suspended 11 games and fined $5M

[BritCard]

So D-Hop gets the same punishment for a trace amount of a banned substance as a dude who raped a bunch of massage therapists. Cool.

Not standing for Watson but from a purely legal standpoint D-Hop has been proven to have taken a banned substance. Watson hasn't been convicted of anything.

Had he been convicted then an indefinite suspension with minimum 1 year would have been likely. Without a conviction 6 games was always likely. In fact past precedent was used to conclude 6 games based on what the NFL have handed out previously for allegations without conviction. 6 games is what Big Ben got (reduced to 4). Winston got 3. Pacman Jones got 6. I don't think anyone has ever had more than 6.

 

[Shane]

As much as I would have loved at least a year, I'm sure they took into account sitting out last year too. It sucks, but no one should be surprised.

Sitting out yes but collected a full salary so not really

 

[Krangodnzr]

Not standing for Watson but from a purely legal standpoint D-Hop has been proven to have taken a banned substance. Watson hasn't been convicted of anything.

Had he been convicted then an indefinite suspension with minimum 1 year would have been likely. Without a conviction 6 games was always likely. In fact past precedent was used to conclude 6 games based on what the NFL have handed out previously for allegations without conviction. 6 games is what Big Ben got (reduced to 4). Winston got 3. Pacman Jones got 6. I don;t think anyone has ever had more than 6.

Zeke Elliott got 6 games too iirc. Plenty of evidence he beat that girl up, but not enough to convict.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

The NFL is a joke when it comes down to handing out punishment. Even Big Ben got 8 games initially when he did what he did to one woman. Now Watson gets 6 games (which will probably be appealed down to 3) for doing what he did to 30 women? Seems fair. LOL.
The only silver lining, I guess, is this puts our grips about Kyler into perspective. Complaining about study habits and video games is nowhere near the problem Watson's teams are dealing with.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

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[Zalixar]

Roger has 3 days to appeal a longer suspension.

Either way, F the NFL.

 

[Zalixar]

Not standing for Watson but from a purely legal standpoint D-Hop has been proven to have taken a banned substance. Watson hasn't been convicted of anything.

Had he been convicted then an indefinite suspension with minimum 1 year would have been likely. Without a conviction 6 games was always likely. In fact past precedent was used to conclude 6 games based on what the NFL have handed out previously for allegations without conviction. 6 games is what Big Ben got (reduced to 4). Winston got 3. Pacman Jones got 6. I don;t think anyone has ever had more than 6.

Zeke had 1 accusation and wasn't convicted, with a possibility based on evidence he was 100% innocent, 6 games.

 

[BritCard]

Zeke had 1 accusation and wasn't convicted, with a possibility based on evidence he was 100% innocent, 6 games.

Shall we ignore that he already missed a whole season due to this? Or do games missed only count as punishment if they carry an NFL rubber stamp?

Sure, he still got paid, but he was still going to get paid with any NFL suspension considering his salary all this year was about half a game check from last year.

 

[TRW]

If the NFL appeals and Goodell or his mouthpiece meets out a year long suspension or worse the NFLPA will have to take it to courts. The NFLPA said it will not appeal the retired judge’s ruling. This will test the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and the players wanting it out of Goodell’s hands. And yet, they agreed to HIM being the arbitrator. Sometimes the NFLPA shoots itself in the foot.

 

[PDXChris]

Sitting out yes but collected a full salary so not really

You're not wrong.

 

[BritCard]

If the NFL appeals and Goodell or his mouthpiece meets out a year long suspension or worse the NFLPA will have to take it to courts. The NFLPA said it will not appeal the retired judge’s ruling. This will test the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and the players wanting it out of Goodell’s hands. And yet, they agreed to HIM being the arbitrator. Sometimes the NFLPA shoots itself in the foot.

I'd be amazed if the NFL appeals it.

Firstly because it will drag it out even longer and lead to move negative press but mainly because the whole "NFL want to suspend Watson indefinitely" thing was pure theater. That was all for the media so they could look good, knowing full well it was out of their hands and down to an independent arbitrator.

What the NFL wants is this put to bed and one of the best players in the league (and a black QB) playing football again, and that is now within their grasp.

Also not covered here so far is that today Watson also settled 3 of the 4 outstanding allegations. So only 1 remains and that's just a matter of time.

This will all be forgotten by week 8.

Deshaun Watson Settles Three of Four Remaining Lawsuits, per Report - Sports Illustrated

There is only one outstanding civil suit against Watson.

www.si.com

 

[Zalixar]

Shall we ignore that he already missed a whole season due to this? Or do games missed only count as punishment if they carry an NFL rubber stamp?

Sure, he still got paid, but he was still going to get paid with any NFL suspension considering his salary all this year was about half a game check from last year.

Really?

He chose not to play and got paid. Texans wanted to protect him from getting hurt knowing he'd have to get traded. Then got traded. Then barely lost any money to his fully guaranteed contract. He got everything he wanted and essentially rewarded for his actions.

 

[BritCard]

Really?

Sure. It's not nothing.

It's not the same as getting suspended without pay, but it's also not scott free.

For example, he would have been traded last offseason and would certainly have played last year on a far higher salary than the $10.5 he was paid by the Texans (Watson's Texans extension and new money would have kicked in this year).

He's averaging $46m a year going forward. You could argue that last year cost him $30m.

 

[Russ Smith]

Shall we ignore that he already missed a whole season due to this? Or do games missed only count as punishment if they carry an NFL rubber stamp?

Sure, he still got paid, but he was still going to get paid with any NFL suspension considering his salary all this year was about half a game check from last year.

here's my thing, if the NFL doesn't think he did anything wrong why are they suspending him at all? My assumption is they think he did something wrong, there's no legal charges so they're saying ok suspension but not a full year. Given the number of women involved it seems to me 8 games at a minimum.

He did miss a full season but that was between him and the prior team and again I'm assuming the Houston Texans had very good reason to think they should not play him.

Not a good resolution for anybody. People thinking he's totally innocent are mad he got any suspension, people thinking he's guilty thnk he got off easy. And the NFL just looks bad IMO.

 

[Zalixar]

Sure. It's not nothing.

It's not the same as getting suspended without pay, but it's also not scott free.

For example, he would have been traded last offseason and would certainly have played last year on a far higher salary than the $10.5 he was paid by the Texans (Watson's Texans extension and new money would have kicked in this year).

He's averaging $46m a year going forward. You could argue that last year cost him $30m.

Except Watson chose not to play and Texans covered it up/went along with it so they can protect/trade him.

Strawman is strong with this one.

 

[AustrianCardFan]

He's averaging $46m a year going forward. You could argue that last year cost him $30m.

You could also argue that he still got the best contract in the history of the NFL, so I am having a hard time feeling sorry for him and his potential financial losses last year...

 

[TheCardFan]

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[BritCard]

here's my thing, if the NFL doesn't think he did anything wrong why are they suspending him at all? My assumption is they think he did something wrong, there's no legal charges so they're saying ok suspension but not a full year. Given the number of women involved it seems to me 8 games at a minimum.

He did miss a full season but that was between him and the prior team and again I'm assuming the Houston Texans had very good reason to think they should not play him.

Not a good resolution for anybody. People thinking he's totally innocent are mad he got any suspension, people thinking he's guilty thnk he got off easy. And the NFL just looks bad IMO.

There is a difference between legally wrong and breaching the NFL conduct policy.

The NFL interviewed 12 alleged victims, this decision is based on that testimony. I believe 5 of them included behavior the judge concluded was in breach of NFL policy. Hence the suspension.

 

[BritCard]

You could also argue that he still got the best contract in the history of the NFL, so I am having a hard time feeling sorry for him and his potential financial losses last year...

Nobody is feeling sorry for him. But we can talk in facts, or feelings.

 

[TRW]

I'd be amazed if the NFL appeals it.

Firstly because it will drag it out even longer and lead to move negative press but mainly because the whole "NFL want to suspend Watson indefinitely" thing was pure theater. That was all for the media so they could look good, knowing full well it was out of their hands and down to an independent arbitrator.

What the NFL wants is this put to bed and one of the best players in the league (and a black QB) playing football again, and that is now within their grasp.

Also not covered here so far is that today Watson also settled 3 of the 4 outstanding allegations. So only 1 remains and that's just a matter of time.

This will all be forgotten by week 8.

Deshaun Watson Settles Three of Four Remaining Lawsuits, per Report - Sports Illustrated

There is only one outstanding civil suit against Watson.

www.si.com

We shall see.

 

[Shane]

People are saying he got the same as Dhop…. Unless I’m mistaken they said D can’t be with the team at all during the entire six weeks… According to SportsCenter Watson can be back to the Browns fully practicing and participating in the team activities after week three as well….. WTH

 

[BritCard]

The NFL investigation and ruling is over here on the left. That includes 12 women that agreed to be interviewed and the ruling is based on that and nothing else. Not press stories, not the legal case.

The whole 30 women legal issue is over on the right, completely separate. The NFL decision has nothing to do with it.

Of the 12 that the NFL interviewed 7 were deemed unreliable due to reasons like the tweet below. None of the 5 remaining involved violence, coercion or threats. So that's why it's 6 games.

So when you say things like Big Ben only had one allegation. Well his allegation was one for rape. Watson, technically, has been suspended for 5 allegations of asking for sexual favors in a none threatening, none coercive manner. And everyone else has now signed NDA's.

If the alleged victims wanted more than 6 games then they shouldn't have taken the money and signed an NDA. They can't have the money AND justice.

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[Russ Smith]

The NFL investigation and ruling is over here on the left. That includes 12 women that agreed to be interviewed and the ruling is based on that and nothing else. Not press stories, not the legal case.

The whole 30 women legal issue is over on the right, completely separate. The NFL decision has nothing to do with it.

Of the 12 that the NFL interviewed 7 were deemed unreliable due to reasons like the tweet below. None of the 5 remaining involved violence, coercion or threats. So that's why it's 6 games.

So when you say things like Big Ben only had one allegation. Well his allegation was one for rape. Watson, technically, has been suspended for 5 allegations of asking for sexual favors in a none threatening, none coercive manner. And everyone else has now signed NDA's.

If the alleged victims wanted more than 6 games then they shouldn't have taken the money and signed an NDA. They can't have the money AND justice.

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The woman in that case was not one of the clients for Barbee he said so publicly. So she may have taken a settlement I don't know but not in the Barbee case. the settlement was with the accusers and the lawyer not the NFL so settling should not preclude him from punishment. If their signing of an NDA means the NFL gets no information then why is he suspended at all?

None of us know but if you read the criminal complaints I don't know how they can say coercion was not involved it was the standard MO in most of the complaints. He kept touching me with IT or trying to get me to touch IT by pushing my hand there. That's coercion plain and simple. I understand a few of the women admitted to consensual sex but even a couple of them literally said he was so aggressive and so insistent I eventually just decided it was easier to say yes and do it, than keep resisting and saying no, that's absolutely coercion and potentially more. He didn't get charged with it so maybe the NFL is saying since he wasn't charged we didn't consider it?

I guess I'd need to hear the NFL explanation for what parts of their rules he violated in their conduct policy. I know he violated the Covid rules in fact something like 40 of the cases when they occurred were against NFL rules at the time because of Covid. If they're telling us they suspended him for 6 games over that, I don't believe it.

People are asking will the NFL appeal I'm wondering if the players union will given that so far we have no clue what they actually suspended him for?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The NFL’s opinion of women attacked/accosted/etc by its players is just pathetic and has been for some time. It evidences its opinion in how weakly it punishes those that perpetrate crimes against women.

 

[AustrianCardFan]

Nobody is feeling sorry for him. But we can talk in facts, or feelings.

Agreed! And the facts are that he is now the best paid player in the League, so that whole theatre last year didn't hurt him or "punish" him at all IMO.