Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been accused of a 2020 sexual assault in a lawsuit filed Monday in Texas. The lawsuit, a copy of which has been obtained and reviewed by CBS Sports, was filed by attorney Tony Buzbee, who also represented many of the 25-plus women that previously sued Watson for varying degrees of sexual assault.
The prior lawsuits were settled out of court. The NFL penalized Watson with an 11-game suspension ahead of the 2022 season.
Watson is being accused of sexual assault and battery in the latest lawsuit. The woman, referred to as "Jane Doe," alleges that an extremely disturbing encounter with Watson occurred at her home in October 2020.
"This is an extremely serious matter," Buzbee said in a statement to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. "We intend to pursue this case with the same aggressiveness with which we pursued the others. We want a jury trial. As far as any specific comments on the facts of the case, we believe the lawsuit speaks for itself."
The plaintiff alleges she was approached at a Houston bar by Watson's representatives, which requested her phone number for the quarterback. Doe says she was "flattered" by Watson's approach and gave the representative her phone number; soon after, she and Watson began "texting intermittently" for "several months." Doe subsequently declined an invitation to a Houston Galleria event but claims she invited Watson to have dinner at her apartment.
The lawsuit claims Watson agreed to meet at her apartment, but on the night of Oct. 10, 2020, allegedly called Doe's cellphone "aggressively yelling and screaming" about being unable to find the apartment telling Doe he doesn't "have time for this."
When Watson finally arrived, Doe claims she was not ready as she "had not finished putting on her makeup." She says Watson was invited to sit in the living room as she attempted to make conversation. Hearing nothing in return, Doe says she thought Watson might have left, so she left the bathroom and allegedly "found him completely naked on her bed, lying face down on his stomach."
Doe then claims Watson "turned his head and aggressively insisted that she massage him, gesturing to his buttocks." She describes her reaction as having been "terrified" claiming she "tried to appease Watson by rubbing his back, rather than his buttocks." Watson allegedly "turned over, revealing an erection" then "continued to demand that Jane Doe massage him, gesturing from his knees to his groin."
The plaintiff claims to have told Watson she wasn't a masseuse, to which Watson "asked her what she wanted to do instead." The lawsuit then lists in specific and graphic detail what allegedly occurred next:
Editor's note: The below passage, taken directly from the lawsuit, contains graphic descriptions of alleged sexual assault.
"Before Jane Doe could answer, Watson grabbed Jane Doe's leg and positioned her so that she was lying down. Watson then partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina without consent, implied or explicit. Jane Doe felt paralyzed, unsure if she should risk her safety by trying to stop Watson or endure his assault. Watson roughly sexually assaulted Jane Doe for several minutes in a 'missionary position' before grabbing her and flipping her over. Watson continued to assault Jane Doe from behind. Jane Doe finally gathered the courage and strength to escape Watson. Jane Doe quickly ran to dresser to grab a heavy piece of décor for self-defense, and yelled at Watson [to] get out of her apartment. Enraged, Watson stormed out of Jane Doe's apartment.
The lawsuit, filed in Harris County Court, seeks damages in excess of $1 million because Doe, as a result of Watson allegedly violating three Sections of the Texas Penal Code (indecent exposure, assault and indecent assault), was the alleged victim of someone who created conscious physical and mental pain and suffering, physical impairment, loss of enjoyment of life and peace of mind, reasonable and necessary counseling and therapy and other damages that will be shown at trial.
The standard statute of limitations for cases like this is two years, but in Texas, the statute extends to five years, as noted by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio,
The NFL declined comment through a spokesperson when contacted by CBS Sports. The Browns have yet to issue a statement on the matter.
What happens next?
This is a civil case, so from a legal perspective, the biggest issue for Watson would be having to pay damages to the plaintiff. However, the NFL could see this case as proof of a personal conduct policy violation or a violation of his negotiated suspension. The Browns, given Watson's notoriously disastrous contract, could potentially seek avenues for voiding part or all of his future guarantees.
Watson's behavior was previously described by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as "predatory." Goodell said the league believed a full-season ban should have been on the table for the quarterback's initial punishment. Part of Watson's collectively bargained 11-game suspension included the punishment covering any similar incidents from 2019-21. However, the NFL has power to investigate "if any new allegations arise against Watson that are different in nature," according NFL.com.
Unlike prior cases, this lawsuit specifically alleges sexual assault. That could potentially allow it to fall into a different category for the league.
