Browns QB Deshaun Watson accused of sexual assault in civil suit; NFL investigating

National Football League

Updated Sep. 10, 2024 1:53 p.m. ET

Deshaun Watson has been accused of sexual assault in a new civil lawsuit brought by a woman who alleges the Cleveland Browns quarterback forced himself on her four years ago when he played with the Houston Texans.

According to the lawsuit filed Monday in Harris County, the woman is suing Watson for $1 million in damages.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in the court documents, said the incident took place after she invited Watson to her apartment. She said Watson undressed shortly after arriving and demanded a massage.

It’s the latest legal entanglement for Watson, who settled 23 of 24 lawsuits against him in 2022 after two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct and harassment during massage therapy sessions.

The 28-year-old Watson served an 11-game NFL suspension in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, stemming from those accusations. He also had to pay a $5 million fine and underwent independent counseling before he was reinstated.

The new lawsuit was filed by attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented the other women who alleged Watson’s misbehavior.

The Browns did not have an immediate response to the latest lawsuit. The NFL said in a statement that it is “reviewing the complaint and will look into the matter under the Personal Conduct Policy.” The league reportedly does not plan to put Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list without a further review as there are currently no criminal charges related to the matter.

The three-time Pro Bowler has been plagued by issues since Cleveland traded five draft picks, including three first-round selections, to the Texans in 2022 for him. The Browns then signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.

Watson has been limited to just 13 starts due to the suspension and a shoulder injury that required surgery last season.

He played for the first time in 10 months on Sunday and completed 24 of 45 passes for 169 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown in a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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