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The NFL Head Office tried its best to sneak the news of Deshaun Watson's pending disciplinary hearing under the radar. However, it was always going to be an impossible task.
As the news broke at 4.49 pm on Saturday, rumors of potential sanctions, failed talks, and frustration on both sides started to emerge. One such rumor came from Michael David Smith, the managing editor of Pro Football Talk.
Smith suggested that Commissioner Goodell is looking to set an example. Smith claimed Goodell was looking to punish the Cleveland Browns for trading for Watson and paying him such a large contract while still under investigation.
In a tweet, Smith wrote:
"I suspect Roger Goodell wants to make the Browns regret trading for Deshaun Watson and giving him the big new contract. Watson will get a long suspension in part to dissuade other teams from trading for players under investigation and giving them lucrative contract extensions."
Jimmy Haslam, the beleaguered Cleveland Browns owner, happily signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract extension. Haslam brushed off the heavy criticism he received back then, but must now have one of the worst cases of buyer's remorse ever witnessed.
It has been rumored that the league is seeking an indefinite suspension for Watson. If that happens, it will leave Haslam and the Browns with a significant headache and Baker Mayfield with a huge smile on his face.
The famous NFL suspensions of past
Dating back nearly 100 years, Art Folz was one of the first players ever to receive a lifetime ban from the NFL.
Playing for the Chicago Cardinals, his team required a win against the Milwaukee Badgers to have a chance at the NFL title. With the Badgers short on players, Folz offered to help and recruited four amateur college players, telling them it was a practice game.
The Cardinals went on to win the game 59-0, but when word of the scam got out, NFL President Joseph Carr suspended Folz for life. Although the ban was eventually lifted, Folz never played again.
One man who has been on the receiving end of a year-long suspension is former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Payton received the punishment for his role in "Bountygate," a system run by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams that rewarded players for inflicting injuries on opposing players.
Though never linked directly to the scheme, many believe it could not have happened without Payton's knowledge. The NFL suspended him from coaching for a year. During his sabbatical, he served as an assistant coach for his son's high school team, which was later the subject of a movie.
Whatever the outcome for Watson, it won't appease everyone, but most will finally be glad to have a resolution to this long-running saga.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Pro Football Talk Live and H/T Sportskeeda.
