Cleveland Browns Deshaun Watson stood trial on Wednesday morning. Here’s what happened and what it means for the NFL.
Note: This story contains graphic accounts of domestic violence, threats and sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault or domestic violence, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Watson admitted that his first accuser — massage therapist Ashley Solis — cried after their encounter. He later stated that he did not know why this was the case. However, Watson did text her after the fact apologizing.
“Sorry about you feeling uncomfortable,” Watson texted. “Never were the intentions. Lmk if you want to work in the future. My apologies.”
When asked why he sent an apology, Watson explained: “Yes, because she was teary-eyed. And I was trying to figure out what was going on. So, I assumed that she was uncomfortable in whatever reason. And we talked about working in the future. And so, I said, `We can work in the future. Just let me know.’ And then I sent my apologies as whatever reason she was teary-eyed for.”
Solis’s account of the incident accuses Watson of touching her with the tip of his penis, which caused her to cry. She is suing him for civil assault.
Deshaun Watson trial: What does this mean for NFL’s investigation?
Because this portion of Watson’s case was made public, it corroborates at least one part of an allegation against the Browns QB.
In a Twitter thread regarding the kind of suspension Watson could be looking at from the NFL in response to this news, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported the following:
These accounts are just several sources’ opinions from within the league, but it does speak to the fact that many with knowledge of the situation believe Watson could be facing severe punishment from the NFL.
For context, MLB suspended Trevor Bauer 324 games for violating its domestic violence policy. While these two cases are different, the court of public opinion may hold Watson to a similar standard given the timing of said allegations against him.