"It is a standard players association comeback" - Cowboys owner Jerry Jones not impressed by NFLPA's appeal regarding Deshaun Watson suspension

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has commented on the NFLPA’s response to Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension. The Cowboys have been dragged into the situation by the NFLPA due to an incident that occurred in 2015.

Dallas would no doubt have been hoping to let the incident remain in the past. However, in the NFLPA's response, they have cited the lack of action from the league on the voyeurism scandal.

In an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jones said the following:

“It is a standard players association comeback. That is the drill. That is the drill to go around to say you didn’t punish such and such. Anybody would know that every player case and every case that involves non-players in the NFL are dealing with dramatically different principle facts, which is all the difference in the world.”

The Cleveland Browns quarterback was handed a six-game suspension by Sue L. Robinson under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He was accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women during massage appointments during his time at the Houston Texans. The league filed an appeal as they are looking for a one-year suspension and a fine somewhere in the neighborhood of eight million.

The Texans traded him to Cleveland this offseason and have repudiated any inappropriate behavior. They settled 30 lawsuits themselves, which has led many to believe more lawsuits are forthcoming against Watson.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decided not to hear the appeal of Watson’s case. Instead, he has selected Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey Attorney General, to hear the appeal. The league noted there’s no timeframe for Harvey to give a ruling. The policy states that the appeal will be processed on an expedited basis.

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Why the Dallas Cowboys owner is a part of the NFLPA’s appeal

Dallas Cowboys v Kansas City Chiefs

The NFLPA included owner misconduct in the hearing with Robinson prior to the initial suspension being handed down. This was due to the league’s threat to seek a punishment that’s out of the ordinary.

The NFLPA will point out a specific phrase in the league’s Personal Conduct Policy to make their case, which states:

“Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline when violations of the Personal Conduct Policy occur.”

The NFLPA planned to point out that the league did not look into the misconduct in the voyeurism scandal involving the Cowboys. The behavior of then-vice president of communications Rich Dalrymple resulted in a $2.4 million settlement with four former Dallas cheerleaders.

It will be interesting to see what Harvey decides to do with the under-fire quarterback. Will Watson find himself out for a year or perhaps even longer? The answer will come in due time, hopefully before the start of the 2022 season.

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