Member-only story
The Deshaun Watson Ruling Is An Indictment of Everyone Except Deshaun Watson
New personal conduct policy and player discipline process; same ol’ disquieting results.
On August 18, the NFL doled out its final ruling on Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, increasing his suspension from six to 11 games and forcing him to pay an additional $5 million in fines.
The monetary punishment is an NFL record and the extended enforced absence is nearly double what the independent arbitrator initially recommended. Still, the resolution comes after nearly two years of legal and labor back-and-forths, a seemingly endless parade bad headlines and worse revelations, and — and this cannot be underscored enough — Watson set himself up in a new city with a guaranteed $230 million windfall even if he never plays another snap.
When pressed by reporters for a reaction, Watson said he was “grateful.” He should be. It could’ve gone plenty worse for a man who has already settled twenty separate civil cases of sexual misconduct. He then added, “I take accountability for the decisions I made.” If you’ve been following the news since it first broke, you know that’s a masterclass in handwaving.
Throughout the proceedings, Deshaun Watson has taken precisely zero accountability…
