The Houston Texans have reached settlements with 30 girls who’ve accused the N.F.L. quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct in therapeutic massage appointments, in response to Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the ladies.
One among Watson’s accusers filed swimsuit final month in opposition to the Texans, Watson’s former employer, claiming that the group “turned a blind eye” to Watson’s habits towards feminine therapeutic massage therapists in the course of the time he performed for the crew. She is the one plaintiff to file swimsuit in opposition to the Texans, however in an announcement, Buzbee stated the settlements are with “all the girls who’ve made, or meant to make, claims in opposition to the Houston Texans group.”
Twenty-four girls filed lawsuits in opposition to Watson, alleging that he assaulted or harassed them in therapeutic massage appointments between 2020 and 2021, when he was on the Texans’ roster. Watson, who has denied any wrongdoing, settled 20 of these fits final month. The identities of the extra six girls reaching settlements with the Texans are unknown, and Buzbee declined to share any further particulars about their claims in opposition to Watson or the crew.
“I’ll don’t have any additional touch upon the allegations or the Texans’ alleged position, apart from to say that there’s a marked distinction in the way in which wherein the Texans addressed these allegations and the way in which wherein Watson’s crew has carried out so,” Buzbee stated.
The McNair household, homeowners of the crew, stated in an announcement Friday that they didn’t have any information of Watson’s alleged habits till March 2021, when the primary lawsuit in opposition to him was filed, however “we now have deliberately chosen to resolve this matter amicably. This isn’t an admission of any wrongdoing, however as an alternative a transparent stand in opposition to any type of sexual assault and misconduct.”
An N.F.L. spokesman declined to touch upon whether or not the league would examine the Texans or if the group might face self-discipline.
Buzbee stated the phrases of the settlements, together with the monetary quantity, are confidential.
The information of the ladies’s settlements with the Texans comes as Watson awaits a ruling on if or how he will probably be disciplined by the N.F.L. after a three-day listening to final month in entrance of an arbiter collectively appointed by the league and the N.F.L. Gamers Affiliation. Two Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on prison fees in March. After the primary grand jury declined to carry fees and earlier than the second did, the Cleveland Browns traded for Watson and signed him to an unprecedented, totally assured five-year contract price $230 million.
Earlier than considered one of Watson’s accusers filed her lawsuit in opposition to the Texans, a New York Occasions investigation confirmed that the crew supplied the venue Watson used for a number of the therapeutic massage appointments that resulted in civil claims or prison complaints. A crew consultant additionally furnished him with a nondisclosure settlement after a lady who later sued him threatened on-line to show his habits.
Buzbee stated that the lady’s lawsuit in opposition to the Texans can be dismissed with prejudice as quickly because the settlement paperwork was accomplished. 4 lawsuits in opposition to Watson are nonetheless pending — together with that of the lady who had sued the Texans — and the settlements with the Texans don’t seem to have an effect on these circumstances.
Buzbee reiterated that “the 4 filed circumstances in opposition to Deshaun Watson will proceed” and that every one 4 are anticipated to go to trial within the spring of 2023.
