Just when we thought all of the off-the-field issues with Deshaun Watson were finally done for good, a new allegation has emerged.
A new sexual misconduct civil suit has been filed against Watson for an incident that took place during a massage in 2020. Watson is currently serving an 11-game suspension after settling on a punishment with the NFL for previous near-identical allegations.
The NFL has since issued a statement on the allegations against Watson. Per Mark Maske of the Washington Post, his status “remains unchanged” but the league will monitor developments for any conduct which may warrant further investigation.
“Watson’s status remains unchanged. We will monitor developments in the newly-filed litigation; and any conduct that warrants further investigation or possible additional sanctions would be addressed within the Personal Conduct Policy.”
Deshaun Watson did not play the entirety of the 2021 NFL season due to a combination of issues with the Houston Texans and two dozen civil suits levied against him. The Texans traded him to the Browns in March, ending his time with the team after five years.
Watson avoided criminal charges when a grand jury declined to indict him, but still had to settle numerous civil cases out of court.
Barring the unforeseen, Watson will be back with the team and on the football field in a little over a month.
There are going to be a lot of questions when he’s finally available for interviews.