“Every player, owner, business partner, and stakeholder deserves to know that our process is legitimate and will not be tarnished based on the whims of the League office,” the union said.
According to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, if either party appealed, the decision would be made by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates. The union could then attempt to appeal that decision in federal court.
Watson has been at training camp with the Browns while he awaited the decision. He has continued to perform most of the first-team offensive reps, but if he gets injured, the backup Jacoby Brissett will take over.
During a three-day hearing before Robinson in June, the league had pressed for an indefinite ban of at least one year and a $5 million fine for the 26-year-old Watson. The NFL Players Association contended that since Watson was not found guilty of any crimes, he should not be punished.
Ten of the women filed criminal complaints against Watson, but two grand juries in Texas decided not to indict him. The NFL and the union jointly nominated Robinson, a former U.S. district judge, to handle player misconduct, a position that Goodell had previously filled.
Watson has insisted that any sexual contact with three women was consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Before agreeing to private cash settlements with 20 of the women on June 21, he stated publicly that his purpose was to clear his name.
The league’s treatment of player misconduct and its support for women has come under heightened scrutiny due to Watson’s high-profile case, and the Browns now doubt they’ll ever find a franchise quarterback.
Fans have questioned whether the league had the right to suspend Watson from playing, although no criminal charges had been filed against him after the trade.
After receiving criticism for how it handled previous sexual misconduct cases involving Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Cleveland running back Kareem Hunt, and Baltimore running back Ray Rice, the league has been sensitive to its image and singled out the appropriate punishment for Watson.
The Browns, on the other hand, received harsh criticism for signing Watson. Since 1999, the team has had a league-high 32 starts at quarterback, and many questioned why they would sign a player with so much baggage. The franchise has been desperate to find a long-term solution.
After being traded to Cleveland, Watson held a press conference to announce his arrival and maintain his innocence.
“I have never assaulted, disrespected, or harassed any woman in my life,” he said at the dais, where he was joined by Brown’s general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski. “I was raised differently. That is not my DNA. That is not my culture. That is not me as a person.”
Three months later, during the Browns’ minicamp, he reiterated those similar remarks, stating that his sole objective was to clear his name. However, he resolved 20 of the civil lawsuits a week later. Any pending claims might still go to trial, but not before 2023, as both parties had agreed to hold off until the conclusion of the upcoming season.
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