"I don’t think the commissioner wants to put himself in a position where he is perceived as being too lenient with one of the players in the NFL" - Mike Florio on the Deshaun Watson situation

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson during a post-workout press conference
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson during a post-workout press conference

Deshaun Watson has been fielding questions after the Cleveland Browns practices that are less concerned about his play on the field and more focused on the ever-increasing counts of sexual misconduct brought against him. The NFL has its own investigation underway, but thus far, no punishment has been handed down.

In that context, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio assessed Watson’s comments and pointed to former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice as the reason behind the careful contemplation from the NFL front office about how to handle the situation.

"Ray Rice. I don’t think the commissioner wants to put himself in a position where he is perceived as being too lenient with one of the players in the NFL who has committed some sort of act of violence, or sexual assault, or any type of misconduct against anyone, especially a female."

Ray Rice was caught on camera assaulting his then-fiancée in 2014 at an Atlantic City casino. Rice was initially handed a two-game suspension for his actions. In response, Commissioner Roger Goodell took heat from fans and media alike. Goodell later admitted that he “didn’t get it right” and has since weighed his punishment decisions more carefully.

In an accompanying piece posted on the Pro Football Talk website, Florio expanded on his comments by mentioning an HBO story and an article in The New York Times.

“The new cases, the looming cases, and the possibility for even more cases, coupled with the HBO story and the recent article from Jenny Vrentas of The New York Times, have given more credibility to those in the league office who want Watson to be sidelined until the litigation has completely ended.”

Deshaun Watson could face steep punishment that could reach beyond 2022-23 season

The Ravens weren’t nearly so lenient on Rice, and he was cut from the team, never to play football again. As for the Browns, they knew what they were getting into when they went after Watson and signed him to a massive deal while shunning their former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield.

Watson could face a full-year suspension depending on the findings of the investigation. Some in the NFL media have even suggested the punishment could reach into the 2023 season. In the meantime, Watson continues to workout with the team and reiterate his innocence as the accusations against him continue to pile up.


If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk, and H/T Sportskeeda.

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Edited by Piyush Bisht