Deshaun Watson focuses on football, deflects other questions

Deshaun Watson served an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy

BEREA, Ohio — In the first interview of Deshaun Watson in almost four months, the quarterback of the cleveland browns he refused to answer questions that were not about football.

“I understand that you have many questions,” he agreed. Deshaun Watson Thursday. “But with my legal team and my clinical team, there are only going to be football questions that I can really address right now.”

Deshaun Watson served an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy by committing sexual assault, as defined by the NFL, against massage therapists.

He has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and other inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.

Two civil lawsuits remain pending, including one filed on October 13. Earlier this year, Watson settled 23 of the other lawsuits that had been filed against him.

As part of an agreement between the nfl and the NFLPA, deshaun Watson he also had to pay a $5 million fine and undergo a mandatory treatment program.

“I tried everything I could do to play football in 2022,” he replied when asked why he accepted the 11-game suspension. “Most of the agreements with the nfl they were mainly with my agent and my legal team. I had no control. My main goal was to do everything necessary to play this year.”

Two grand juries in Texas declined to file criminal charges against Watson earlier this year.

In his last previous interview, in August, Watson He again denied wrongdoing and said that people have not been interested in hearing his side of the story. Asked Thursday if he was still interested in telling his story at some point, Watson said, “who knows what the future holds.”

deshaun WatyesOn also declined to say what, if anything, he had learned from the league’s mandatory coaching.

“That’s more in that phase of clinical and legal issues. I’ve been advised to stay away from that and keep it personal…I’m focusing on football. That’s my main focus, football and preparing to be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns to be able to execute the game plan, to try to get a win this Sunday.”

The return of Watson against his former team, the Houston Texanss, it will mark exactly 700 days since you last played in a regular season game (with the texans on January 3, 2021).

The browns acquired Watson in a trade in March, sending the texans three first-round picks. Later, cleveland signed Watson to a five-year deal for $230 million guaranteed, the highest contract in league history nfl.

Earlier this week, the attorney for houston, Tony Buzbeewhich represented 25 of the women who sued Watson, said 10 of his clients planned to attend Sunday’s game with him.

“They thought it was important to make it clear that they are still here and that they matter,” he said. buzzbee.

Watson said he is “not worried” about the atmosphere he will find in houston.

“Like I said, I’m focusing on being the starting quarterback and executing the game plan. That’s my main focus.”