An independent arbiter ruled Monday that the NFL will suspend Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for six games amid sexual misconduct allegations. While that length is up for appeal, it wasn’t lost on NFL fans and media folks how light of a sentence it is with dozens of women having accused Watson of that misconduct.
It looks bad next to suspensions given to other players for less serious rule-breaking.
The quick comparison was to Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ six-game suspension for testing positive for a banned PED.
But Watson’s penalty was also juxtaposed next to a full-season ban of Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley for gambling on his own games and other substance-related suspensions from the NFL’s past.
So Deshaun Watson, whose situation is unprecedented in the history of sports at and level, is suspended for the same number of games as former teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who violated the substance abuse policy.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) August 1, 2022
NFL suspensions:
Calvin Ridley: 17 games, betting
Vontaze Burfict: 12 games, targeting
DeAndre Hopkins: 6 games, PED
Martavis Bryant: Indefinitely, Weed
Josh Gordon: 25+ games, Weed
Darren Waller: 16 games, substance abuseDeShaun Watson: 6 games, 25 SV accusations
— Tristen Kuhn (@KuhnTristen) August 1, 2022
LMAO. Meanwhile Calvin Ridley suspended whole season for placing a bet. Right.
— Erin Kate Dolan (@erinkatedolan) August 1, 2022
If your personal conduct policy leads to DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson getting the exact same suspension, you need a new personal conduct policy.
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) August 1, 2022
I realize the NFL PED policy is different from Personal Conduct Policy. Unless league pushes back at DeAndre Hopkins claim that his positive PED test was an extremely low level of a banned substance, it’s difficult to reconcile him getting the same suspension as Deshaun Watson.
— Howard Balzer (@HBalzer721) August 1, 2022
nearly $45M signing bonus?
keeps all $45M
$46M salary for 2022?
keeps $45.65M
remaining fully guaranteed $184M?
keeps all $184M
6 game suspension?
equal to DeAndre Hopkins for “trace” amount of a PED in 1 test
games missed?
NFL gave CLE the #1 easiest schedule weeks 1-6 https://t.co/ZQZzaygjot
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 1, 2022
Calvin Ridley made a bet that his team will win a game in the NFL
He got suspended indefinitely, through at least the entire 2022 season and possibly more.
He also lost $11.1 million in salary.
Deshaun Watson meanwhile received 6 game suspension, he’ll only lose less than $1M. https://t.co/hAt2Ft6TmJ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 1, 2022
Watson, who played for four seasons with Houston before being traded to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by women alleging sexual harassment and assault during massage treatments in 2020 and 2021.
Signing with the Browns fully guaranteed Watson a $230 million, five-year contract. He will lose $345,000 if the suspension is unchanged because his base salary this season is $1.035 million. His $45 million signing bonus will not be affected by the suspension.
But never mind comparisons: Watson’s sentence length is earning plenty of criticism in a vacuum.
So many thoughts on this initial six-game suspension for Deshaun Watson. It’s crazy for the arbiter to say his conduct was “egregious” and then give him such a soft punishment. This was a fail in her first significant ruling, and the league should appeal it.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) August 1, 2022
Watson is a great player who has done a lot of good in the community, but his behavior (allegedly reaching out to 60+ women on social media for “massages”) is sooooo far outside the norm that it’s not a stretch to accept that some of the allegations have merit.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) August 1, 2022
Thoughts on Deshaun Watson and 6 games pic.twitter.com/GBLoa7V7kY
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) August 1, 2022
The Associated Press contributed to this story.