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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPNOct 7, 2024, 08:29 PM ET
- Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
One month after a new lawsuit was filed accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery, the case has been resolved, according to the plaintiff’s lawyer.
“We have now resolved our client’s claim with Deshaun Watson,” attorney Tony Buzbee told ESPN Monday night on behalf of the woman. “The settlement is confidential.”
Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, later also confirmed that the case has been resolved.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed Sept. 9 in Harris County, Texas, the alleged actions occurred in October 2020 before Watson and a woman, identified as Jane Doe in the court filing, were set to have dinner at her apartment. Watson was a member of the Houston Texans at the time.
Watson denied the allegations in a statement issued by Hardin. The NFL has been reviewing the complaint under the personal conduct policy, but the league did not place Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list because there have been no formal charges filed and the review had just begun.
A league spokesperson declined to comment Monday night.
Buzbee previously told ESPN that the woman, as well as two additional witnesses, planned to speak with the NFL. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the woman still intended to interview with the league as part of its investigation.
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Watson, 29, served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. A pair of Texas grand juries declined to pursue criminal charges against him, but he served his suspension after the NFL and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement in his disciplinary matter.
He also was required to pay a fine of $5 million and undergo mandatory evaluation by behavioral experts and follow their suggested treatment program before being reinstated by the league.
Watson settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits filed against him in the summer of 2022.
The lawsuit filed in September is unrelated to the two remaining active lawsuits (one from summer 2022 plus another filed that October) from women who accused Watson of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.
In the wake of the latest lawsuit, Watson has continued to start at quarterback for the Browns. Coach Kevin Stefanski previously declined to comment on the lawsuit but said he was not aware of the allegations before they surfaced.
Watson has started 17 games since the Browns traded six draft picks, including three first-round picks, for him and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million deal, which was an NFL record at the time. In five games this season, Watson has posted a QBR of 21.0, the lowest of any qualified passer.
