NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that the league is still looking into the recent allegations of sexual assault and battery against Deshaun Watson.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback has settled a civil lawsuit with one woman, but this doesn’t stop the league from taking disciplinary action.
“We’re continuing our review as we usually do,” Goodell said on Tuesday after the league’s fall meeting. “As you know, we take the personal conduct policy seriously, so our team is working hard on this.”
Following standard procedures, the league has attempted to interview the woman through her attorney, Tony Buzbee.
Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season for breaking the league’s personal conduct policy after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior during massage therapy sessions.
He was also fined $5 million and had to complete a mandatory evaluation before being reinstated.
The latest lawsuit was filed on September 9 in Harris County, Texas. The unnamed woman claimed Watson sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a dinner date at her apartment and is seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Watson, who is in his third season with Cleveland after being acquired in a controversial trade from Houston, has strongly denied these allegations. The 29-year-old has settled nearly two dozen civil lawsuits in the past.
Watson has faced challenges in Cleveland after the Browns traded multiple draft picks for him and gave him a $230 million guaranteed contract. The team is currently 1-5 this season, and some fans are urging the Browns to replace Watson with backup Jameis Winston.
