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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson publicly apologized for the first time to women who accused him of sexual misconduct during massage sessions in an interview Friday.
“I want to say that I am truly sorry to all the women that I have affected in this situation,” Watson said during the inside interview on Browns pregame show aired on Cleveland News 5.
The interview took place before Friday’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which Watson started.
Before Friday, Watson said in his only two interviews with reporters since joining the Browns from the Houston Texans that he didn’t regret any of his actions during the massage sessions. In his second interview during Cleveland’s June minicamp, Watson reiterated that he doesn’t regret his actions, though he acknowledged that he regrets the impact the allegations have had on those around him.
He indicated differently Friday.
“The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position, I definitely wish I could take back,” he said on the Browns’ pregame show, “but I want to keep moving forward and growing and learning and show that I’m a real man of character and I’ll keep moving forward.”
Watson and the Browns are waiting to hear whether he will be suspended longer than the six-game suspension handed down by independent arbitrator Sue L. Robinson last week for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The NFL, seeking a stiffer penalty, is appealing Robinson’s decision, which will be heard by Peter C. Harvey, a former New Jersey attorney general appointed by Commissioner Roger Goodell. Harvey has no specific deadline for a ruling on the appeal, although it must work on an “accelerated” basis, according to the collective bargaining agreement.
In her 16-page report, which concluded that Watson violated the personal conduct policy with “outlandish” and “predatory” behavior, Robinson noted that an aggravating factor in her decision to suspend Watson for six games was his “lack of expressed remorse “. “
Watson is accused of sexual assault and other inappropriate behavior during massage sessions in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women. The collisions alleged in the lawsuits took place from March 2020 to March 2021 while Watson was a member of the Texans. The Browns traded for Watson in March 2022, sending three first-round draft picks to Houston before giving Watson a new fully guaranteed contract worth $230 million.
One of the 25 lawsuits was dropped after a judge ruled in April 2021 that the plaintiffs must amend their petitions to reveal their names. Two other women filed criminal complaints against Watson but did not prosecute him. Watson has settled or agreed to settle all but one of the remaining cases, which remains pending. In July, the Texans reached settlements with 30 women who filed or were ready to file lawsuits against the NFL organization for allegedly “enabling” Watson’s behavior.
Friday marked Watson’s first game since Jan. 3, 2021, with the Texans. He said in the pre-match interview that he was “super excited” to finally play.
“I want to make sure I cherish every picture because I’m not sure when the next time I’ll be able to get out there with these guys,” he said.
Watson had an uneventful debut, completing just 1 of 5 passes for 7 yards on three drives before being substituted in Cleveland’s 24-13 win. Watson was not available for the Browns’ postgame press conferences and declined to comment or expand on his pregame interview when approached during a postgame locker room session open to reporters.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Saturday that quarterback Jacoby Brissett will get the “majority” of first-team reps with the offense against Watson in practice moving forward.
Watson was asked in the pre-match interview how he would use his time away from the team as it relates to personal growth.
“I know I have to put in a lot of work, especially on the field, to make sure I’m ready to play when the time comes when I can get back on the field,” he said. “But also, the biggest thing is that I want to continue to mentor and I want to make sure that I grow as a person, as an individual about the decision-making on and off the field. I want to make sure I’m just growing in the community as much as possible, and that’s for the Cleveland community, that’s the NFL community and beyond.”
This report includes information from the Associated Press.
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