design & illustration: Mackenna Shrager
Flashback to 2020 and Deshaun Watson is known for being a star quarterback from Clemson University where he brought the Tigers a National Championship and then became a multi NFL Pro Bowler. However, Watson now faces a very different reality including multiple sexual misconduct lawsuits and a 11-game suspension yet still boasting one of largest contracts in the NFL.
Going back to the Texans during the 2021 season things were not looking good at all for Deshaun. A three- time Pro Bowler, who Texans fans thought would be the franchise quarterback and lead Houston to a Super Bowl, sidelined himself in that season due to a messy trade request. The result of this request was a miserable 4-12 season from the Houston Texans and landed them the 3rd pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
On March 16th-17th, 2021, Watson was accused of sexual harrassment during massage therapy sessions, by Attorney Tony Buzbee who has represented 24 women Watson was accused filed the lawsuits.
The charges have now grown to 20+ sexual harassment charges, and even so Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns on March 18th, 2022 in the middle of it all and signed a massive 5 year $230 million deal. This was met with Ohioan backlash as the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center received over a thousand donations shortly after, and Columbus Crew SC Fans held signs at a home game against Nashville SC supporting the women who accused Watson.
What some fans of the NFL think is even more shocking is only getting a 6 game suspension.
The NFL shortly appealed this decision and switched it over to 11 games. But some NFL fans wonder if that’s really that better? Calvin Ridley, wide-receiver for the Atlanta Falcons was suspended an entire season for a $1,000 bet on his own team. Watson, who has had to settle multiple claims with women over misconduct hasn’t even been suspended an entire season.
Stories of professional athletes mistreating women and being suspended for it isn’t uncommon. Ezekiel Elliot, running back for the Dallas Cowboys and former Ohio State player, was suspended 6 games for domestic assault against his former girlfriend.
However, some Cleveland Browns fans like Sophomore Connor Morrison, have a different view on the case.
“The Suspension was pretty fair, since he wasn’t actually convicted”
While it’s not really a huge surprise that Browns fans are eager to get at least some games out of their new quarterback who is being paid over $200 million, what do fans of the other teams in the NFL think of this debacle? Grant Beer, a Sophomore at Orange who is a Packers fan, gave his thoughts on the Watson case.
“The suspension was deserved, because what he did was not right and he should be punished for it.”
The final thing fans have noticed about Watsons suspension is that he returns in Week 12 of the season facing his former team the Houston Texans. Many believe that this serious topic of sexual misconduct is being used as a publicity stunt by the NFL and Commisoner Roger Goodell, so that the NFL can promote some type of “Revenge Game”. Beer agrees and said it’s not a coincidence that his first game back is the Texans calling the NFL “fake” and saying Commissioner Goodell controls everything.
While it’s not certain how Deshaun Watson’s tenure will turn out in Cleveland, or what this means for future suspension cases, these cases alleged against him will definitely affect his legacy forever.
