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Watson was suspended for 11 games at the start of the 2022 season for the previous allegations.
CLEVELAND (AP) — A woman who has accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault could meet within the next two weeks with the NFL, which is investigating the player’s off-field conduct, her lawyer said Thursday.
Attorney Tony Buzbee said in an email to multiple media outlets that his client, who filed a civil lawsuit Monday in Houston accusing Watson of sexual assault and battery, plans to negotiate with the league soon.
Additionally, Buzbee, who represents 24 other women in lawsuits against Watson, said he has the video and two more witnesses.
Watson was suspended 11 games before the start of the 2022 season for previous allegations and could face additional punishment if he fails to disclose the incident with the woman during the league’s previous investigations. The incident took place in 2020, according to the lawsuit.
The woman, who only identified herself as “Jane Doe,” alleges in the lawsuit that Watson “violently sexually assaulted her for several minutes” during a dinner date at her apartment.
The Browns continue to support Watson, who will start Sunday against Jacksonville, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said he has no plans to bench Watson despite the severity of the new allegations.
Watson said Wednesday that he “strongly denies” the woman’s allegations and said the lawsuit was unexpected.
Watson will speak with league investigators at some point, and he said he doesn’t anticipate the possibility of being suspended again.
“Honestly, I’m not really thinking about anything,” he said. “My focus is understanding Jacksonville’s defensive scheme and focusing on my craft so I can be the best quarterback for this team on Sunday. That’s something the NFL has to do in the time it takes, and I have to focus on what’s in front of me right now.”
The Browns traded three first-round draft picks to the Texans for Watson, who initially rejected Cleveland’s offer but waived his no-trade clause after the team offered him a five-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $230 million.
Watson has made just 13 starts in three seasons, his 2023 season ending after six starts due to a fractured bone in his right shoulder that required surgery.
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