Lack of a Deshaun Watson suspension invites NFL fan fury - ‘What kinda dirt does he have on Roger Goodell?’

Deshaun Watson drew the ire of NFL fans during the Monday Night Football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as he was seen pushing one of the referees aside during a discussion with a Steelers player midway through the game.

In almost every instance, making inappropriate contact with an official represents an automatic ejection. However, the referees didn't throw the flag and did not punish Deshaun Watson, leaving fans confused as to why he was able to walk away with that one.

After the game, the NFL released a statement that said that it wasn't going to suspend the quarterback because the officials considered that Watson's contact didn't warrant a penalty. With the Browns quarterback once again being at the center of a controversy, fans were furious with the league's leniency when he should've been, at least, ejected from the game:

Deshaun Watson not ejected: Fans making jokes about 'inappropriate contact' from the quarterback painful reminder of his suspension

A full plate was available for the fans to make references about the quarterback's 11-game suspension due to multiple accusations of sexual assault stemming from his time with the Houston Texans.

In March 2021, The first civil lawsuit against Watson was filed by a Houston massage therapist and delivered by attorney Tony Buzbee, alleging that Watson touched her and asked for sex while visiting her for treatment. Different lawsuits were filed in the following days. Fourteen were already filed on March 22, with one woman allegedly calling the quarterback a "sexual predator"; in April 2021, there were already 22 civil lawsuits.

In 2022, the quarterback was cleared of any criminal charges, although the 22 civil lawsuits were still ongoing. This enabled his trade to the Cleveland Browns with a fully guaranteed, five-year contract.

He was initially suspended for the first six games of the 2022 season, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appealed the decision, wishing to handle a bigger suspension. In August 2022, the NFL announced its appeal had been successful, and Deshaun Watson was suspended for 11 games and subjected to a $5 million fine.