"$5 million is a lot of money" - Colin Cowherd questions massive fine slapped on Deshaun Watson

When news broke of Deshaun Watson's increased suspension, one tidbit of information that went under the radar was his $5 million fine.

The settlement has been largely met with disgust by the NFL community, who believe the fine and suspension should have been more. The fine comes after his initial six-game suspension but the NFL appealed and the quarterback now has an eleven game suspension. However, not everyone has the same opinion on the matter. Analyst Colin Cowherd has a slightly different take on the situation.

On the Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast, show host Colin Cowherd described Watson's fine as the largest he can remember being issued to a player. Here's what he said about the situation:

"During this process, the NFL, Goodell and the NFLPA have been negotiating and they have reached 11 games and a $5 million fine. Now, again, that's a big fine. I mean, that's the largest fine I've ever heard for a player. I mean, $1,000,000 fine is a seven figure fine, gigantic. A $5 million fine is a lot of money."

$5 million is certainly an incredible amount of money, however some within the NFL community would argue that it's not enough. Some point to his alleged crimes, lack of remorse and the structure of his current NFL contract as reasons why he should have received a harsher punishment.

How Watson's fine compares to other financial penalties in the NFL

Arizona Cardinals v Chicago Bears

Cowherd's point about Watson's fine is valid, but those claiming that it's insufficient also have a strong argument. Atlanta Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley has been the subject of a lot of the attention over the past 24 hours.

Following the quarterback's 11 game suspension, fans have been quick to draw a comparison with the season-long ban given to Ridley. The wideout bet on NFL games while absent from the team in 2021. However, Ridley was also forced to forfeit his entire salary for the 2022 season, totalling $11.8 million.

Another wideout facing some financial pain this season is Arizona Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins. He received a six-game suspension after amounts of a prohibited substance were found in a sample he provided last year. Hopkins will also have to give up $2.2 million of his salary as a result of his indiscretion.

Meanwhile, Watson is protected from any real loss of salary, thanks to some creative accounting in Cleveland. When the former Clemson standout signed his new $230 million contract, the team backloaded it, in preparation for his inevitable suspension.

This means despite his $5 million fine, he stands to lose less than $6 million in total, which many in the NFL community consider to be an injustice.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Colin Cowherd Podcast and H/T Sportskeeda.