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For almost 18 months, Cleveland Browns star Deshaun Watson was adamant that he wanted to fight all the civil lawsuits filed against him alleging sexual misconduct to clear his name. The former Houston Texans quarterback saw the number of accusers rise to 24 in 18 months but continued to plead his innocence.
Initially, Watson's legal counsel was supportive of his decision to fight the lawsuits. Now, it seems there has been a change of heart. Per attorney Tony Buzbee, the legal counsel for the accusers, Watson has agreed to settle with 20 of the 24 plaintiffs. In a press release, Buzbee wrote:
"Today I announce that all cases against Deshaun Watson, with the exception of four, have settled. We are working through the paperwork related to those settlements. Once we have done so, those particular cases will be dismissed. The terms and amounts of the settlements are confidential. We won't comment further on the settlements or those cases."
Read Buzbee's full statement below:
Watson and his legal team are yet to release a statement regarding the matter.
Will Deshaun Watson face suspension despite settling with 20 accusers?
Deshaun Watson's reluctance to settle may have ended, but his troubles persist. The quarterback is still facing four lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and will have to beat the allegations in court to clear his name.
The NFL has been investigating the matter, and former U.S. district judge Sue L. Robinson has been tasked with the responsibility of handing down a punishment to the quarterback. Robinson is the league's disciplinary officer, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA.
Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the NFLPA is expecting the league to hand the quarterback an "unprecedented punishment."
"Per a source with knowledge of the intended strategy, the NFLPA currently is bracing for a recommendation by the league of 'unprecedented' punishment of Watson. Whatever the specific penalty, the union will mobilize to defend Watson, as it is required to do by the federal duty of fair representation."
Per Florio, the punishment will likely range from 10 games to an entire season. The quarterback may have escaped the law's wrath by settling with 20 out of the 24 plaintiffs, but he is unlikely to get away scot-free.
All signs point to the league handing Watson a lengthy suspension, which would be a huge blow to the Browns' chances of ending their Super Bowl drought.
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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Pro Football Talk, and H/T Sportskeeda.
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