Deshaun Watson lawsuits timeline: How things unraveled for Browns QB after sexual assault allegations

Deshaun Watson is the target of a sexual assault civil lawsuit filed by a woman in Texas on Monday. She claims that four years ago, during a dinner date in her apartment, the Cleveland Browns quarterback imposed himself on her sexually. The woman has now requested damages worth over $1 million.

On Wednesday, Watson's lawyer stated that the quarterback vehemently denies the woman's accusations.

According to reports, the NFL is also investigating the lawsuit to determine whether Watson broke any rules regarding personal conduct. It should be mentioned that Watson was accused by 24 massage therapists of sexual misconduct when he was a player for the Houston Texans.

A thorough timeline of Watson's case development is provided here.

Deshaun Watson's sexual assault lawsuits timeline

Watson requested a trade from Texans – Deshaun Watson reportedly wanted a trade from the Houston Texans shortly after the 2020 regular season ended. This was because he wasn't happy with how the organization was selecting a new general manager and coach.

Watson had inked a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans four months prior, which included a no-trade clause.

Reports of a civil lawsuit filed against Watson – In March 2021, plaintiff lawyer Tony Buzbee made the announcement that Watson was the accused in a sexual assault case.

Watson denounced the claim against him on Twitter (Now X) – Watson denied all claims in a statement posted on Twitter in response to the disclosure of the allegations.

Watson wrote:

"...I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect."

Two other lawsuits filed against Watson – A day after Watson's Twitter announcement, two more lawsuits were brought against him.

Four other civil lawsuits filed against Watson – The civil lawsuits kept coming for Watson as an additional four were filed against him on March 18, 2021. The NFL had declared at the time that it was looking into the three previous complaints against the QB.

Later that day, the Texans issued a statement pledging to maintain constant communication with the league throughout the investigation.

Lawsuits kept piling – There were now 22 lawsuits, altogether, against Watson for sexual assault, after 15 more were filed between March 22 and April 5, 2021.

Plaintiffs were ruled to identify themselves – On April 9, 2021, two judges in Harris County issued an order requiring the ladies who were suing Deshaun Watson to reveal their identity.

Subsequently, there were reports that one of the plaintiffs decided not to divulge her identity and would temporarily withdraw her lawsuit against Watson.

Watson's lawsuits went back to 22 – The number of civil lawsuits against Watson rose back to 22 after another lawsuit was filed to replace the one that was earlier dropped.

Watson returned to Texans – In the midst of his sexual assault cases, Watson reported to the Houston Texans training camp in July 2021. Rumor had it that the team had been considering trade offers for the quarterback.

Trade deadline passed – On November 2, 2021, the NFL trade deadline for the 2021 season passed, and Watson stayed with the Texans for that season. This was in spite of rumors that he was close to signing a contract with the Miami Dolphins and that the Carolina Panthers were also interested in him.

Watson was traded to Cleveland Browns – Deshaun Watson consented to waive the Texans' no-trade provision on March 18, 2022, in order to sign with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns acquired him right away in a trade that cost them several first-round picks.

Watson then agreed to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Cleveland, which became the highest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history.

Watson had his first press conference in Cleveland - During Watson's first press conference one week after joining the Browns, he was questioned regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Watson refuted the accusations during the press conference, claiming he had never in his life abused, harassed or treated a woman disrespectfully.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed Watson's status – On March 29, 2021, Roger Goodell declared that if Watson was ultimately found to have broken the league's personal conduct policy, his punishment would be either a fine or a suspension. But he would not be placed on the commissioner's exempt list.

In the event that Watson is ultimately found guilty, the NFL and NFLPA later agreed to have former U.S. District Court Judge Sue L. Robinson serve as an unbiased arbitrator to decide on Watson's punishment.

Lawsuits against Watson reached 24 - Two further lawsuits were filed against Watson between May 31, 2022, and June 6, 2022, increasing the total to 24.

Watson reached settlement agreements with many of the plaintiffs – On June 21, 2022, the lawyer for the 24 plaintiffs, Ashley Solis, declared that all but four of Deshaun Watson's cases had been resolved. The conditions and sums of the settlements, however, were not disclosed.

According to Solis, three of the four cases against Watson that were still outstanding until the beginning of August 2022 were likewise resolved. This left one civil suit open at the time.

Watson was handed a suspension – Former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson suspended Watson for six games on August 1, 2022, with three days to appeal the decision on either side's behalf.

Three days later, the NFL appealed Robinson's judgment. Later in August, an agreement was struck between the NFL and NFLPA to suspend Watson for 11 games. In addition, the quarterback received a $5 million fine and a mandate to participate in obligatory mental health counseling.