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Tuesday’s full article by Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times on Deshaun Watson’s situation also takes a look at what jeans knew and when they knew about Watson’s massage habits. It raises real questions about what jeans really knew and what they reasonably should have known.
Vrentas reports that the Texans arranged for Watson to have “a place” in the Houstonian, where he “used the gym, had dinner there, and also arranged massages in hotel rooms.” At least seven women met Watson at the Houstonian for massage dates.
Watson testified that he knew the Texans were unaware that he was receiving massages at the Houstonian.
Vrentas also reports that Nia Smith (who sued Watson last week) posted text messages and receipts from Watson’s Cash app with this warning: “I could really expose you.” Watson has testified that, days after these Instagram posts by Nia Smith, Watson found a confidentiality agreement in her locker. Watson admitted that Texans security director Brent Naccara put him there after Watson told Naccara about Nia Smith’s Instagram posts.
Watson also stated that he began using the NDA for the massages he later received.
Does this mean that Naccara knew that Watson was receiving or seeking sexual activity during massages, or that Watson could cross the line? No. It means that Naccara, a former Secret Service agent who surely knows how to assess and neutralize all sorts of threats, should have asked Watson some specific questions and / or some sincere advice on what to do. and what not? during these massages? Absolutely.
The law calls it a “notice of inquiry.” You know enough that you should start asking questions. Naccara, by virtue of giving Watson an NDA to use during massages, knew enough to start asking some questions.
That said, it’s not easy. NFL franchises have blind spots when it comes to franchise quarterbacks. They don’t want to upset the player. They want to take on the best, not the worst, on the face of the franchise. And Watson, frankly, was widely regarded as the last guy to be charged with this kind of thing, before he was.