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After a 19-month absence from soccer, Deshaun Watson began an N.F.L. preseason sport on Friday night time.
Earlier than the sport started, the Cleveland Browns quarterback did one thing else that had been almost as lengthy coming: He apologized for the primary time since greater than two dozen ladies mentioned he sexually assaulted or harassed them in therapeutic massage appointments.
As Watson took the sphere, met by boos from the sparse crowd at Jacksonville’s TIAA Financial institution Area, a league adviser was persevering with to weigh his eligibility for the upcoming common season.
The day earlier than each the sport and Watson’s apology, The Related Press reported that Watson could be keen to just accept an eight-game suspension and a $5 million superb, after his representatives initially argued for no missed time.
“I need to say that I’m actually sorry to all the ladies that I’ve impacted on this scenario,” Watson mentioned in an interview with the Browns broadcast group. “The choices that I made in my life that put me on this place, I’d undoubtedly prefer to have again, however I need to proceed to maneuver ahead and develop and be taught and present that I’m a real particular person of character.”
As the sport’s kickoff approached, there was rising stress about whether or not Watson’s begin would go forward as deliberate. Even with a regular-season suspension looming, he is ready to take part in all practices and exhibition video games till his suspension begins within the season’s first week. But when the attraction yielded the season-long ban that the league was pushing for, and if that call had been reached earlier than the sport, Watson would have been instantly excluded from all group actions and would have needed to apply for reinstatement on the finish of the season.
The attraction is being heard by Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey legal professional normal, who was chosen by N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell final week to overview the case and subject a call on an “expedited” foundation. There isn’t any timetable for when that may occur.
The Browns had introduced Wednesday that Watson would begin Friday’s preseason opener. He appeared rusty, finishing solely considered one of 5 passes in three offensive sequence earlier than being pulled, however his on-field efficiency was only a footnote.
On Aug. 1, Sue L. Robinson, a retired federal choose collectively appointed by the N.F.L. and the gamers union to supervise the disciplinary listening to, decided that Watson had dedicated a number of violations of the league’s private conduct coverage on account of conduct she deemed “predatory” and “egregious.” Two days later, the league appealed, in accordance with a brand new disciplinary course of established as a part of the 2020 collective bargaining settlement.
In arguing for a full-season ban, together with a superb and counseling, the league expressed issues over Watson’s lack of regret, an element Robinson additionally cited in her determination.
Jimmy and Dee Haslam, the house owners of the Browns, expressed help for Watson in an announcement final week and mentioned that he had been “remorseful.” Watson’s feedback earlier than Friday’s sport had been the primary time he had publicly expressed contrition for his actions.
Watson had beforehand denied the accusations, telling reporters at a information convention in June that he regretted their affect on his teammates and the folks round him. Watson settled 23 of the lawsuits filed in opposition to him by ladies who mentioned he assaulted or harassed them throughout therapeutic massage appointments, and two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him on legal costs.
Watson’s suspension is ready to start the week of the Browns’ first regular-season sport, Sept. 11 in opposition to the Carolina Panthers.
He has not performed in a sport, both common season or exhibition, since Jan. 3, 2021, when he was nonetheless a member of the Houston Texans. He requested a commerce that month, and in March 2021 the primary lawsuit was filed in opposition to him. Although Watson was eligible to play, he sat out the 2021 N.F.L. season.
The Browns traded for Watson this spring after a grand jury in Texas declined to indict him. The group despatched a number of high draft picks to Houston and signed Watson to a five-year, totally assured $230 million contract.
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