Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson Settles 20 Civil Lawsuits Against Him

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has agreed to confidentially settle 20 of his civil lawsuits out of court. His official statement on the matter was issued on Tuesday with each settled case to be dismissed from a roster of 24 lawsuits for his sexual misconduct. The 26-year-old NFL star continues to grab headlines following his recent trade from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns despite his legal battles.

CBS Sports reports state that Watson has chosen to settle 20 of his outstanding cases, however, this may not be enough to keep the NFL from imposing a lengthy suspension on him. The victims’ attorney Tony Buzbee said that once the paperwork has been done on the 20 settlements, “those particular cases will be dismissed”. "Today, I announce that all cases against Deshaun Watson, with the exception of four, have settled,” he added.

“The terms and amounts of the settlements are confidential. We won't comment further on the settlements or those cases,” Buzbee said.

Talk of a potential settlement was mentioned during a press conference earlier this month based on previous court documents showing Buzbee citing that Watson’s accusers were offered $100,000 each in what he described as an “aggressive nondisclosure agreement.”

Buzbee mentioned that Ashley Solis, one of the women who filed the initial lawsuit in March 2021 against Watson, was one of the four victims who chose not to settle. During an interview with ESPN, Buzbee said that it was because of Solis’ courage and willingness to come forward, that brought the NFL to contemplate Watson’s discipline. He went on to say that such actions would still be swept under the rug and sports teams would not undergo strict evaluations on behavior nor would they practice stringent personnel review and screening processes.

Even with his out-of-court settlement, Watson still faces appropriate discipline from the NFL pending findings from their own investigations. The NFL is expected to conclude its probe next month and lay down its decision before the Browns commence training camp on July 27. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said that whatever settlements or agreements have been made, these will have “no impact on the collectively bargained disciplinary process.”