The NFL does not plan to place Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt List after Watson was accused of sexual assault and battery while on a date in October 2020 in a new civil lawsuit, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.
The new civil suit, filed on Monday in Houston, claims Watson exposed himself, requested a massage and sexually assaulted the victim before she was able to resist and get him to leave her apartment. Watson was on the Houston Texans at the time of the new allegations.
“We are reviewing the complaint, and we will look into the matter under the personal conduct policy,” league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement on Tuesday.
Pelissero reported on Tuesday that the NFL’s decision not to place Watson on the exempt list was made because there have been no criminal charges filed against Watson and because its review into the matter has just begun.
In August 2022, the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after more than 20 women alleged that Watson committed sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.
Watson reached confidential settlements with 23 of the 24 women in 2022. He has previously denied any wrongdoing and maintained that any sex with the women was consensual. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson in 2022 on criminal complaints filed by 10 women.
Watson was required by the NFL to commit to mandatory evaluation and treatment as part of his reinstatement.
The Browns traded multiple draft picks — including three first-round selections — to Houston for Watson in March 2022 and also signed the quarterback to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
The Browns (0-1) play at the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) on Sunday.
