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Alleged sex offender Deshaun Watson, who was previously sued by upwards of 20 women alleging instances of sexual misconduct and/or assault, stated the obvious this week when detailing how different his situation is now compared to this time last year.
In late March 2022, the Cleveland Browns acquired Watson in a trade with the Houston Texans despite the litany of allegations and lawsuits against him and then gave him a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract.
After serving an 11-game suspension, Watson became the Browns’ starter for the final six games of the 2022 season and compiled a 3-3 record. In those six starts, the 27-year-old Watson completed 58% of his passes for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Now, as Watson heads into his second season in Cleveland, the tone-deaf QB is making sure to point out how much things have changed in the last year.
“It’s night and day,” Watson said to reporters in Cleveland on Tuesday.
“Last year, it was just a whirlwind, but it was a good learning lesson for myself and for me to be able to grow. Coming in this year, I’m ahead of the game from where I was previously.”
What has changed for Watson over the last 12 months, of course, is that he’s since settled upwards of 20 lawsuits with various accusers, most of whom were massage therapists that claimed Watson made sexually inappropriate advances during his sessions with them. For example, one lawsuit filed against him — the 14th of 22 — identified Watson as a “serial predator”, saying that Watson allegedly “forced the plaintiff’s hand onto” his private parts.
Originally drafted by the Houston Texans as the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the former Clemson University signal-caller has since been named to three Pro Bowls.
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