The NFL announced on Wednesday that it will appeal disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson’s decision to suspend Deshaun Watson six games. By appealing the ruling, the NFL will seek to increase the punishment for Watson after he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
Watson has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women in Texas.
Here is part of the statement issued by the league on Wednesday.
“On Monday, Judge Sue L. Robinson, the independent Disciplinary Officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association, issued her ruling in the Personal Conduct Policy matter regarding Deshaun Watson,” the NFL said in a statement. “Under the 2020 NFL-NFLPA collective bargaining agreement (‘CBA’), the factual findings of the Disciplinary Officer are binding and may not be appealed. Judge Robinson found that Mr. Watson violated the NFL’s personal-conduct policy on multiple occasions and suspended him for six games. The CBA affords the NFL or NFLPA the right to appeal the discipline imposed by the Disciplinary Officer. Such an appeal must be filed within three days and would be heard by the Commissioner or his designee.”
The NFL originally argued that Watson should be suspended for the entire 2022 season, but Robinson – who was jointly hired by the NFL and the NFLPA, ruled that he be banned for the first six games of the year.
According to Jonathan Jones, the NFL will once again be seeking an indefinite suspension of at least one year for Watson.
The NFL is seeking an indefinite suspension of at least one year for Deshaun Watson, sources confirm. Just as the league had at the start.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) August 3, 2022
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will now determine who will hear the appeal.