Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said he was surprised by the latest civil lawsuit filed against him by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her four years ago.
The woman filed the lawsuit Monday in Texas , saying Watson forced himself on her during a dinner date in her apartment in Houston in 2020. She’s seeking in excess of $1 million in damages.
During his weekly media availability, Watson, who will play this week against the Jaguars, said he was unaware of the allegations before Monday.
“I found out exactly whenever everyone else found out,” Watson said.
Earlier, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, released a statement saying the QB “strongly denies” the claims in the lawsuit.
The league is examining the lawsuit to see if Watson has violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Watson was suspended 11 games in 2022 and fined $5 million after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct.
Meanwhile, the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, fired back at the statement with his own on Instagram, saying he contacted Hardin 10 months ago seeking a resolution and that Watson was aware of the woman’s claims.
The 28-year-old Watson, who settled 23 of 24 civil suits before being suspended in 2022, said he hasn’t given any thought to possible punishment from the league.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he didn’t consider benching the QB in light of the allegations.
“We’ll let due process play out and follow the NFL’s guidelines,” Stefanski said. “We are 100% focused on Jacksonville.”
The NFL averaged 21.0 million viewers per game during the league’s opening week, making it the most-watched Week 1 on record. The per-game average on TV and digital platforms according to Nielsen was a 12% increase over last year. Nielsen began electronic measurement of viewing in 1988.
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