ATLANTA – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is still reviewing the latest claims of sexual assault and battery against Deshaun Watson.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback resolved the civil lawsuit filed against him by the woman but that doesn’t preclude him from being disciplined by the league.
“We’re continuing our review like we would,” Goodell said Tuesday at the conclusion of the league’s fall meeting. “As you know, we take the personal conduct policy seriously so our people are working diligently.”
The league, per standard procedure, has sought to interview the plaintiff through her lawyer, Tony Buzbee.
Watson was suspended for the first 11 games in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions.
Watson was also fined $5 million and had to undergo mandatory evaluation before he was reinstated by the league.
The latest lawsuit was filed on Sept. 9 in Harris County, Texas. The unidentified woman alleged Watson had sexually assaulted her in 2020 while on a dinner date in her apartment. She was seeking damages in excess of $1 million.
Watson, who is in his third season with Cleveland after being acquired in a controversial trade from Houston, had strongly denied the allegations. The 29-year-old has previously settled nearly two dozen civil lawsuits.
Watson has struggled in Cleveland after the Browns traded a slew of draft picks to get him and gave him a $230 million guaranteed contract. The Browns are 1-5 this season and some fans are calling for the team to bench Watson in favor of backup Jameis Winston.
Kickoff progress
The NFL is pleased with the early results from the new kickoff rule and league executive Troy Vincent said no changes are planned this season.
The 32% return rate through six weeks is a 90% increase from last season when the play was essentially “ceremonial” as Vincent called it. The return rate was 17% at this time in 2023 and increased to 22% by the end of last season. A 33-35% return rate is the goal, Vincent said.
Moving the spot of the ball from the 30-yard line to the 35 after a touchback will be discussed in the offseason.
Jeff Miller, who oversees player health and safety, said there have been no ACL or MCL injuries on kickoffs and only one concussion.
“What was the overall objective? It was putting the foot back in the game, reducing the head injuries as well as some of the lower-extremity injuries, which is all promising,” Vincent said.
Vincent added the league has to explore how to make the onside kick a more viable option.
Hip-drop tackles
Seven players have been fined for hip-drop tackles but none over the past two weeks, Vincent said.
“Coaches and the players have been outstanding with sending in video, whether it’s their own club without the player making the tackle or something in another game,” Vincent said.
No player has been penalized yet for a hip-drop tackle during a game. Vincent said there have been about 22 questionable tackles but none met the four-point criteria.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon has complained about being injured on a play he thought should’ve been flagged for a hip-drop tackle.
“It’s just so important that all four of the elements show up,” Vincent said. “Reviewing that after the game, some of us have just a better feel and an eye for when those things occur. If there’s not an unweighting and trapping of the legs, you’ve got to stay away from it. But that’s during the week, it gives us and many others the opportunity to evaluate so one player is not penalized for something that didn’t occur, especially in real time with all things kind of look the same. We’ve tagged probably 22 to date that were questionable. But again, by the letter of the law or the rule, all four elements were present so we have to stay away from it.”
Violent gesture fines
Several players have been fined or penalized this season for making violent gestures such as finger guns during celebrations.
There were eight penalties and fines in the first four weeks combined, and two more in Week 5. Fines have ranged from $6,250 to Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase getting docked $19,697 last week.
“Those policies and rules have been in place,” Vincent said. “When you start getting into violent gestures, there’s just no place in professional football for that. … Just think about where we are as a society and we have fans and children tuning into the game. You can make the first down, big tackle, have spontaneous gestures, but the violent gestures. … where we are and what we’re trying to represent, that just doesn’t. And we’ve talked to the players, we’ve talked to the coaches. We’re not trying to make it not for fun, but we also have a responsibility as professional athletes.”
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