After an 11-game suspension was handed down to Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson, the player gave a press conference reacting to the decision, and sparked a firestorm of anger across the internet.
In addition to the suspension, Watson was fined $5 million, which along with $1m contributions from the league and the Browns will support non-profits dedicated to promoting sexual assault prevention and education as well as support for survivors.
Watson, who had 24 civil lawsuits filed against him by different female massage therapists accusing him of sexual assault, maintained his innocence to the media.
This is in spite of the initial ruling made by former Judge Sue L. Robinson, which found the NFL proved by a preponderance of evidence that Watson engaged in sexual assault in at least four of the women.
Deshaun Watson speaks to the press after the NFL handed down an 11 game suspension
Watson had 24 civil lawsuits filed against him by massage therapists alleging sexual assault
‘I’ll continue to stand on my innocence, just because you know settlements, and things like that happen doesn’t mean that a person is guilty for anything,’ Watson said in the press conference.
‘I feel like a person has an opportunity to stand on his innocence and prove that, and we proved that from a legal side, and just going to continue to push forward as an individual and as a person.’
Despite his innocence claims, Watson still apologized, and when pressed on his apology by a reporter, the quarterback responded:
‘For everyone that was affected about this situation. There was a lot of people that was triggered.’
When asked if he apologized to the accusers, Watson said he has, ‘apologized to all women, so anybody that was affected, even yourself, everything.’
He also declined to say if the settlement was fair or not: ‘I’m going to keep my opinion to myself.’
Watson’s comments seemed incredibly unapologetic, and reaction on social media was swift and full of outrage, including one who said the press conference was, ‘tone deaf as can be.’
Others called Watson’s words a ‘horrendous response’, with others saying that the city of Cleveland ‘deserves better.’
Pro Football Talk managing editor Michael David Smith put Watson’s punishment into perspective.
‘Deshaun Watson gets away with too light a punishment, in my opinion,’ Smith tweeted. ‘An 11-game suspension and $5 million fine means he’s missing just 13% of the games and losing 2% of the money on his five-year, $230 million contract.’
Watson settled 23 of 24 civil lawsuits filed by the women, who have accused him of everything from indecent exposure to claims of forced oral sex.
As fate would have it, Watson will make his Browns debut against his former team in Houston, where Cleveland will face the Texans on December 4 – 700 days after his last regular season game.
Sports fans across the world reacted in anger at Watson’s ‘non-apology’ after his suspension