- After a grand jury heard allegations, Deshaun Watson won’t face criminal charges
- Watson was accused of sexual assault and misconduct by several women including massage therapists.
- Watson faces 22 civil lawsuits, and could still face punishment by the NFL.
A Texas grand jury ruled Friday that Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans quarterback, would not face criminal charges
Watson was facing multiple criminal complaints following allegations of sexual assault, misconduct and mistreatment by massage therapists who worked with the Texans quarterback. Watson’s criminal case was closed by the grand jury, which decided not to indict him.
—Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) March 11, 2022
Watson still faces 22 lawsuits in civil court for similar allegations and could still face punishment from the NFL.
Brian McCarthy, spokesperson for the NFL, addressed the issue in a statement. Per ESPN’s Sarah BarshopThe league said that it has “been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy.”
However, the absence of criminal charges could allow for a possible departure from the Texans.
Watson, 26, still has four years remaining on his contract. According to ESPN’s Adam SchefterIf he is interested in trading, there should be interest by several teams.
Watson was never suspended, disciplined, or placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list. Watson, however, did not play during 2021 NFL seasons while his case was being sorted through the legal process. Watson’s ban was not a decision by the NFL. It was made by the Texans. NFL insiders said that Watson would likely never play another Houston snap.