Deshaun Watson’s hearing before the disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, Sue L. Robinson, is scheduled to begin Tuesday, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Robinson will be heard as the NFL hopes to push for a “long” suspension for Watson as the NFLPA defends the Cleveland Browns quarterback, who has been accused of harassing, assaulting or touching 26 women during massage dates when he was with the Houston Jeans. The NFL is likely to base its proposed discipline on only part of the testimony of these women, a source said, as the league was unable to speak to several women who interacted with Watson.
Watson faced at one point 24 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions. It has agreed to settle 20 of these lawsuits.
1 Related
Robinson has no record of ruling on cases involving NFL players, though a source said his decision could come in a week, but it could also take up to the training camp. The NFL is waiting for clarity on this case before the training camp begins in late July.
Once Robinson decides, Watson will have the option to appeal. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could rule on that appeal or ask for an independent governor.
Robinson, a former Delaware district court member for more than 25 years, now presents himself as one of the most influential people in the upcoming 2022 NFL season. He has worked primarily in cases related to patent disputes, including the $ 1 billion stent litigation, but also in numerous trademark infringement and antitrust cases.
During her tenure, she was the first female Chief Justice of the Delaware District, in addition to being selected to serve on the United States Judicial Conference.