Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged sexual assault.
A new sexual assault lawsuit filed against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was settled confidentially, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
The lawsuit, which prompted a new review from the NFL, accused Watson of sexual assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It was similar to the nearly two dozen that were first filed against him when he played for the Houston Texans, though it was unrelated to the initial claims.
Terms of the settlement are not known.
The lawsuit filed a month ago against #Browns QB Deshaun Watson has been settled confidentially, a league source tells clevelanddotcom. @ProFootballTalk first to report it.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 7, 2024
Watson’s accuser filed her lawsuit anonymously last month, and said that she was supposed to go on a date with Watson in October 2020. According to the lawsuit, Watson struggled to find her apartment ahead of the date and called her, but he started “aggressively yelling and screaming” on the phone.
After that was resolved and Watson entered the apartment, the woman invited Watson in to wait in her living room while she finished getting ready. She said she kept trying to talk with Watson from the bathroom while she was putting on makeup, but he stopped responding.
When the woman came out of the bathroom, she said she found Watson “completely naked on her bed, lying face-down on his stomach.”
“While Jane Doe stood there in shock, Watson turned his head and aggressively insisted that she massage him, gesturing to his buttocks,” the lawsuit says. “Jane Doe asked if Watson meant he wanted her to massage his back, but Watson indicated that it was his buttocks he wanted massaged.
“Jane Doe was at this point in the encounter terrified. She was in her small apartment with a much larger man, and she was still reeling from Watson’s outburst and aggression on the phone. Doe thus tried to appease Watson by rubbing his back, rather than his buttocks. Watson began insisting, again, that she focus on his glutes. Seemingly frustrated that Doe would only rub his back, Watson then turned over, revealing an erection. Watson continued to demand that Jane Doe massage him, gesturing from his knees to his groin. Jane Doe froze in fear, unsure of how to refuse Watson’s advances without jeopardizing her safety. Confused and scared, she reiterated to Watson that she wasn’t a masseuse.”
The woman said that Watson then suddenly grabbed her leg, partially disrobed her and penetrated her vagina without any consent. Watson allegedly assaulted her for several minutes, though she then escaped from underneath him and screamed at him to get out of her apartment, which he eventually did.
The allegations are similar to the more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct that were levied against Watson during his time with the Texans. Watson didn’t face any criminal charges, most of those lawsuits were also settled confidentially, and he’s long denied any wrongdoing. He denied the allegations against him in the latest lawsuit, too.
Watson was suspended for 11 games in 2022 as a result of the initial investigation. The NFL expanded its sexual assault policy and penalties as a result of Watson’s situation, too. The league is currently investigating the new allegations to determine if Watson violated the league’s personal conduct policy and if such a violation warrants additional discipline.
Despite the initial wave of allegations against him, the Browns signed Watson to a record-setting, fully guaranteed $230 million contract. The team has restructured that deal twice since then, and he’s largely struggled on the field. He’s only played in six games in each of the past two seasons, first because of the suspension and then again due to numerous injuries last year.
Watson went 15-of-28 for just 125 yards with a touchdown in their 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday. He’s yet to throw for more than 200 yards in a single game this season while leading the Browns to a 1-4 start.
If the Browns cut Watson in 2025, they would face $172 million in dead cap hits. The team would be hit with $99 million if they cut him in 2026, too. Both of those figures would set a new record for the most money incurred in NFL history. So despite his struggles and latest off-field issues, the Browns appear stuck with Watson for the time being.
