The NFL is trying to brush the Deshaun Watson ruling under the rug with the Dolphins news dump

NFL fans spent months waiting on a Deshaun Watson ruling and finally got one on Monday. Former federal judge Sue Robinson revealed her recommendation for a six-game ban after weeks of deliberations.

Yet fans had about 24 hours to process the news before the league decided to drop another bombshell. The decision on the Miami Dolphins' tampering and tanking allegations from former head coach Brian Flores was dropped on Tuesday.

Owner Stephen Ross was fined and suspended and the team also lost several draft picks. However, the league conveniently decided Ross was only ever joking about asking Flores to lose on purpose.

For Deshaun Watson, the decision was long overdue. The NFL's investigation into the quarterback started in March 2021. It had to come at some point with training camp getting underway. The Dolphins' decision, however, took a lot less time and it seems strange that the announcement was so close to Watson's. It feels like a ploy by the league to draw attention from Watson. The timing is too perfect.

The real question is whether it will work. Can Deshaun Watson's light punishment really be brushed under the carpet so easily?

The NFL still has a huge Deshaun Watson problem on its hands

Cleveland Browns Training Camp

The NFL is reportedly expected to appeal the six-game decision from Robinson. That then opens a whole new legal battle that could see owners getting dragged in from all over the league. That is the last thing this particular group of individuals wants.

There is something almost comical about the timing of the Dolphins news. The Watson story dominated the headlines for months and continued to do so Tuesday. But then suddenly, every NFL insider was talking about the fallout from the Dolphins situation.

This is part of the nature of the 24/7 news cycle. The Cleveland Browns will understand the importance of weathering the storm. Just wait for a new story to pop up and remove the attention from their quarterback. The issue is that while they distracted fans for a day, the story will return when they decide whether to appeal the decision tomorrow.

Having two bad stories come out in consecutive days is also a bold ploy. It gives the impression that the league has controversy after controversy to deal with. The NFL might want to clean house before the campaign officially starts on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game. They want the focus back on football and nothing else.

Unfortunately for them, that is not going to happen as the Deshaun Watson situation will take on even more drama with an appeal. If they appeal the decision, we will have a major sequence of headlines as they then meter out a new punishment. If they do not appeal the decision, the NFL will face major criticism from several quarters.

The league dropped a huge punishment on the Dolphins just one day after arguably the most long-awaited disciplinary decision in league history. But it was nothing more than a quick distraction. Each new day brings new headlines, and tomorrow's headlines will once again be dominated by Deshaun Watson.