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NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt disagreed with the decision in Deshaun Watson’s case.
On Monday, the NFL’s disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson announced that she giving Watson a six-game suspension because she believed he was involved in “nonviolent sexual conduct” when he was accused of sexually harassing over 20 massage therapists in a span of two years.
Former federal judge Sue L. Robinson has found that Deshaun Watson violated the personal conduct policy and has suspended him six games, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2022
Judge Sue L. Robinson’s decision says Deshaun Watson’s “pattern of behavior was egregious,” but notes that behavior was “nonviolent sexual conduct” in explaining the decision to suspend him six games, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 1, 2022
An angry Kyle Brandt blasted Robinson’s decision during the latest episode of ‘Good Morning Football’ on the NFL Network.
Thoughts on Deshaun Watson and 6 games pic.twitter.com/GBLoa7V7kY
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) August 1, 2022
“You start to lose track of the human element of this story. This is not a player that’s being suspended for PEDS, or even gambling. This is a very poignant human story involving women and there’s this thing about well, it’s not 30, it’s not two dozen, it’s five. Who cares if it’s one? Do you understand? It could be one and there’s also this non-violent phrase that’s being thrown out like it’s some kind of Band-aid. The word is coersive. And I look at six and I find it very light. I hope it doesn’t stay that way personally. I think that Deshaun Watson leveraged his status as an NFL player against women. In my opinion. And I think it happened more than one time and I think it was was in closed doors in small rooms against women who were probably intimidated. And it pisses me off to even talk about it. And frankly it pisses me off to see the number six. And I don’t think it’s going to stay that way and I hope it doesn’t.”
It is worth noting that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can overrule Robinson’s decision, but it’s currently unclear if he will do so.