A recent lawsuit alleging sexual assault and battery against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been settled, according to the plaintiff’s attorney. The terms of the agreement remain confidential. This development comes just a month after the lawsuit was filed in Harris County, Texas, stemming from an alleged incident in October 2020 when Watson was a member of the Houston Texans.
Watson’s legal team had denied the allegations, and the NFL had been reviewing the complaint under its personal conduct policy. Although no formal charges were filed, the league had not placed Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list. It is unclear whether the plaintiff will still cooperate with the NFL’s investigation.
This settlement marks the latest chapter in a series of legal issues surrounding Watson. In 2022, he served an 11-game suspension and paid a $5 million fine after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Watson settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits filed against him, with two remaining active cases unrelated to the latest settlement.
Despite the ongoing legal drama, Watson has continued to start at quarterback for the Browns, posting a QBR of 21.0 in five games this season. Coach Kevin Stefanski had previously declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing a lack of awareness about the allegations before they surfaced. The Browns traded six draft picks, including three first-round picks, for Watson and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million deal, an NFL record at the time.
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