League commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL have appealed Deshaun Watson’s initial six-game suspension and are in search of a more severe punishment for the Cleveland Browns quarterback.
Goodell says the NFL wants at least a full-season suspension for the 26-year-old QB. Of course, Watson and the Browns are hoping to remain as close as possible to the original punishment.
According to recent reports from Mike Florio of NBC’s ProFootballTalk, a settlement agreement between Watson and the NFL is “not out of the question.”
On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that Watson’s camp would be willing 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 that deal.
Over the past year, Watson collected 24 civil cases of alleged sexual misconduct stemming from massage therapy sessions with 24 different women. He settled 20 of these 24 cases in court.
Former New Jersey attorney general Peter Harvey is overseeing the NFL’s appeal, which challenges the original decision made by Judge Sue L. Robinson.
Watson is slated to start in the Browns’ preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars later this evening