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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPN
BEREA, Ohio — The attorney representing the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery told ESPN on Thursday that the woman will speak to the NFL within two weeks.
“We will be scheduling a meeting with the NFL and hope that can be accomplished in the next two weeks,” attorney Tony Buzbee wrote in an email. “We have a video and two additional witnesses for the NFL to speak with. I’ve personally never had confidence in the NFL’s disciplinary process but my client has chosen to engage it.”
According to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday 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 the woman’s apartment. Watson was a member of the Houston Texans at the time.
Watson on Wednesday denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty Hardin.
The NFL on Tuesday said it is reviewing the complaint under the personal conduct policy, but the league added that Watson will not be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list because there have been no formal charges and the league’s review just began.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Watson will still start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars but declined to comment on the lawsuit, deferring to a team statement released Tuesday.
In a statement released Wednesday, Buzbee said he reached out to Watson’s attorneys for months to resolve the matter privately.
Watson said that he found out about the lawsuit when it surfaced and that he was surprised to see the allegations. When asked about Buzbee’s claim of reaching out to Hardin’s office 10 months ago, Watson responded: “I’m not aware of that.”
Watson 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 Watson, but he served his suspension after the NFL and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement in his disciplinary matter.
Watson also had 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 Monday is unrelated to the two remaining active lawsuits (the one from summer 2022 plus one filed that October) from women who accused Watson of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.
In the earlier civil cases, a judge compelled the women suing Watson to use their actual names in court filings. Hardin told ESPN on Wednesday that he intends to ask the court to require the woman who sued Watson on Monday to also be identified by name in court filings.
In March 2022, the Browns traded six draft picks, including three first-round picks, for Watson and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million deal, which was an NFL record at the time.
The suspension and injuries have limited Watson to just 13 starts with Cleveland.
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