Deshaun Watson gets just a SIX-game ban over dozens of sexual misconduct allegations

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been given a six-game ban by an independent arbitrator over dozens of sexual misconduct allegations dating back to his time with the Houston Texans.   

ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report the news Monday. An NFL spokesperson did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for confirmation. 

The NFL and the players' union have three days to appeal the decision by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson, a former federal judge, but that process would be handled by league commissioner Roger Goodell or someone appointed by him. 

Not wanting to let the ultimate decision rest in the hands of the league, the NFLPA released a statement Sunday saying it will respect Robinson's decision and implored the NFL to do likewise: '... regardless of her decision, Deshaun and the NFLPA will stand by her ruling and we call on the NFL to do the same.' 

Monday's suspension was revealed after Watson reached settlements with three more accusers, leaving him facing just one last lawsuit after being sued by 25 women, one of whom dropped her case.  Specific dollar figures for the 23 settlements have not been revealed. 

The 26-year-old quarterback is accused of sexually assaulting and harassing female massage therapists in the Houston area between 2019 and 2021, when he was a member of the Texans.

The NFL was pushing for an indefinite suspension and a fine of no less than $8 million, according to The Associated Press. 

By sitting out six weeks, Watson will lose around $345,000 in game checks.

He signed a backloaded $230 million contract extension after being dealt to Cleveland in March. As it turns out, that deal effectively saves him $15.8 million under a six-game suspension by minimizing his payments in 2022. Watson would have lost more than $16.2 million in game checks had he been compensated evenly over the five-year deal. 

The settlements were announced by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who has represented all 25 plaintiffs, including one woman who has dropped her lawsuit against Watson. 

'After lengthy and intense negotiations, I can confirm that, late last night, our team resolved three of the four remaining civil cases with Deshaun Watson,' Buzbee said in a statement provided to DailyMail.com. 'We will continue to discuss the remaining case with Watson’s legal team, as appropriate.'

Buzbee did not identify the women who have settled with Watson.

Watson has specifically been accused of forcing two women to perform oral sex on him, ejaculating on three women, and forcibly kissing another, while 18 women say he touched them with his penis during massages. 

Although he has now settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits, Watson has denied any wrongdoing, and two Texas grand juries have declined to proceed with charges against him.

Many were quick to point out on social media that former Atlanta Falcons running back Calvin Ridley got a full-season suspension for placing a bet on his own team. The 2022 ban will cost him his base salary of $11.1 million.

Previously, in July, the Texans reached confidential settlements with 30 women who made allegations against Watson, including accusers who did not file lawsuits against him. 

The NFL club was accused of enabling Watson by allegedly ignoring his behavior and securing him a membership at a local hotel and club, where he allegedly sexually harassed and assaulted female massage therapists.

One of his accusers, Toi Garner, filed a lawsuit against the Texans in June, which Buzbee said at the time would be the first of many. However, before those suits could be filed, the team reached a deal with the 24 plaintiffs and six other unidentified women who have stated intentions to make claims against the Texans organization. 

'We were shocked and deeply saddened when we first learned of the allegations against our then franchise quarterback in March 2021,' read a statement from the McNair family, which owns the team.

'Although our organization did not have any knowledge of Deshaun Watson's alleged misconduct, we have intentionally chosen to resolve this matter amicably. This is not an admission of any wrongdoing, but instead a clear stand against any form of sexual assault and misconduct.'

In a July statement, Buzbee said Garner's lawsuit would be dismissed with prejudice 'as soon as the appropriate settlement paperwork is complete.'

'I will have no further comment on the allegations or the Texans' alleged role, other than to say that there is a marked contrast in the way in which the Texans addressed these allegations and the way in which Watson's team has done so,' Buzbee said in the statement.

The New York Times reported in June that Watson booked appointments with at least 66 different women over 17 months while he played for the Texans. Previously Watson attorney Rusty Hardin estimated he had appointments with about 40 female massage therapists over his five seasons with the Texans.

Not every woman has accused Watson of sexual misconduct, and 15 have issued statements of support for him at his attorney's request.

Following the publication of the Times piece, the Texans were added as a defendant in the sexual misconduct lawsuits for allegedly facilitating the massages. The NFL club was accused of securing Watson a membership at a local hotel and private club, the Houstonian, where some of the massages were alleged to have taken place.

One woman, who massaged Watson at the hotel but is not identified in the article, told the Times that she was told the room they used was 'registered to a member of the Texans' training staff.'