Deshaun Watson signed a historic contract with the Cleveland Browns in March 2022. The contract details are as follows:
- Length: 5 years
- Total Value: $230 million
- Guaranteed: The entire $230 million is fully guaranteed, which was groundbreaking as it set a new standard for guaranteed money in the NFL.
This fully guaranteed contract made Watson’s deal one of the most unique in NFL history, as such full guarantees are rare, especially for such a large amount. His contract also came amidst controversy due to legal issues involving allegations of sexual misconduct. The Browns structured the deal in a way that minimized his salary for the 2022 season, anticipating a potential suspension from the NFL.
His contract had a base salary of around $1 million in 2022, with the bulk of the money coming in later years. This structure was criticized by some as it seemed designed to limit the financial impact of any suspension Watson might face.
Deshaun Watson is facing a new lawsuit filed in September 2024, accusing him of sexual assault and battery. The incident in question allegedly occurred in October 2020 when Watson was still with the Houston Texans. According to the lawsuit, Watson met the plaintiff, referred to as “Jane Doe,” after his representatives approached her at a Houston bar. The two eventually agreed to meet for dinner at her apartment.
The lawsuit describes that Watson became verbally aggressive before arriving at her apartment. Once inside, he allegedly stripped naked and demanded that she massage his buttocks. When she hesitated, the situation escalated, leading to a non-consensual sexual assault. The woman claims she was terrified during the incident and ultimately forced Watson to leave her apartment.
This lawsuit is particularly notable as it involves a personal encounter rather than the massage therapy sessions that were at the center of previous allegations. Watson had settled 23 of 24 previous lawsuits and served an 11-game suspension in 2022 following similar claims of sexual misconduct.
The question is whether the Browns can get out of his contract thanks to this latest lawsuit. Here is what Pro Football Talk had to say about it.
Based on the default language connected to the various guarantees, Watson doesn’t necessarily have to be suspended for the payments to be voided. Instead, if he “violates any material term of the Contract {included, but not limited to, Paragraph 42),” Watson has defaulted and the future guarantees can be voided.
But here’s the most important language from Paragraph 42: “no circumstances exist that would prevent Player’s continuing availability to the Club for duration of this Contract.” This language suggests that Watson’s “availability” has been interrupted by the “circumstances” in the lawsuit. In other words, he needs to be suspended for the alleged conduct.
Could he be suspended under the Personal Conduct Policy? The first question in this regard is whether the league even knew about these allegations. As previously mentioned, the NFL has declined comment regarding the new lawsuit against Watson.
The question is, did Watson disclose the information to the Browns? The Jane Doe tried to work out an arrangement with Watson before filing her lawsuit so he was aware of what could be coming and the allegations against him.
It could get interesting if Watson continues to struggle.
Flip the pages to read the entire new lawsuit against Watson.
