League Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL have appealed Deshaun Watson’s initial six-game suspension and are seeking a harsher punishment for the Cleveland Browns quarterback.
Goodell says the NFL wants at least a season-long suspension for the 26-year-old QB. Of course, Watson and the Browns hope to get as close as possible to the original punishment.
According to recent reports by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBC, a settlement agreement between Watson and the NFL is “not out of the question.”
On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that Watson’s camp is ready to accept an eight-game suspension and a $5 million fine. But given Goodell’s recent comments on the matter calling Watson’s actions “egregious” and predatory, it’s hard to imagine the NFL accepting this deal.
Over the past year, Watson has collected 24 civil cases of alleged sexual harassment related to massage therapy sessions with 24 different women. He settled 20 of these 24 cases in court.
Former New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey is considering an NFL appeal challenging Judge Sue L. Robinson’s original decision.
Watson is scheduled to start in the Browns’ preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight.
