Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is back in the spotlight this week after a new assault allegation was levied against him. The new charges have the NFL backing down on an issue that they once made clear.
According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, he recently reached out to the NFL regarding the topic of paid leave for Watson. Back in March, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that paid leave via the NFL Commissioner Exempt List was “off the table.”
But when Florio reached out to the NFL to reiterated their stance, they apparently declined to comment. Florio speculates that the NFL’s decision to decline comment indicates that paid leave is an option for Watson once again.
Florio advocates for the NFL to give Watson paid leave so he can focus on his court cases and potentially settle them. He believes that once Watson deals with those cases, the league can make its final decision on a suspension.
24 separate civil cases of sexual assault are currently pending against Deshaun Watson. It could take months or even years for Watson to settle them all.
Watson has maintained his innocence from the get go and has pledged not to settle any of the cases. He has stated multiple times that he intends to clear his name of all allegations.
It’s his prerogative do so. But if Watson fails, the punishment will likely be ten times worse in the end.
Should the NFL give Watson paid leave?