Keep Texans Talk Google Ad Free!
Venmo Tip Jar | Paypal Tip Jar
Thanks for your support! 🍺😎👍

Sexual Assault Suits Against Watson

Houston Texans to be added to Deshaun Watson lawsuits, attorney says
Brent Schrotenboer
USA TODAY


The Houston Texans soon will be added as defendants to many of the lawsuits filed by women against Deshaun Watson, according to the women’s attorney – a move that will increase the stakes in these cases as legal thunderclouds continue to gather over the NFL quarterback.

The amended lawsuits will make the argument that the Texans, Watson’s former team, knew or should have known about his sexual misconduct during massages sessions and are therefore liable for what happened to these women, according to the attorney, Tony Buzbee.
Watson, 26, has denied wrongdoing. But he is now facing 24 lawsuits by women who generally have accused him of exposing himself and causing unwanted touching or in some cases coercing them or ejaculating on them during massages in 2020 and early 2021, when Watson played for that team.

“Based on what we have learned from the Houston Police Department, we will soon be joining the Houston Texans organization and others as defendants in the ongoing lawsuits against Deshaun Watson,” Buzbee said in a statement. “Our team has thoroughly vetted each case. We are considering many others. These women are the true heroes in this sordid story. What has become clear is that the Houston Texans organization and their contracting 'massage therapy company' facilitated Deshaun Watson’s conduct.”

The amended lawsuits have not yet been filed, according to the court system. The Texans didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

The Texans have come under scrutiny in the pretrial discovery process for these lawsuits, which are not going to trial until next year. For example, USA TODAY Sports reported in April that Watson’s marketing manager testified in a pretrial deposition in February that the Texans had given Watson non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for him to have strangers sign in settings such as massages.

In an interview last week with USA TODAY Sports, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said one of the plaintiffs caused Watson to start his NDA habit because she posted Watson’s personal data on Instagram in November 2020, including his phone number. Another attorney at Hardin’s firm, Leah Graham, said Watson was “getting inundated with calls and texts from strangers” and had to change his phone number as a result.

“The head of security of the (Houston) Texans said, 'Whoever your vendors are, you need a non-disclosure agreement,’ so Deshaun started using a non-disclosure agreement in his massages,” Hardin said.

Buzbee said the Texans provided the opportunity for his conduct to occur.

“We believe the Texans organization was well aware of Watson’s issues, but failed to act,” Buzbee said. “They knew or certainly should have known. The Houston Texans organization provided rooms for Watson at the high-end Houstonian hotel for his `massages; the Texans also provided massage tables and other support for Watson’s proclivities—ostensibly to protect their `asset.’ We intend to make sure all involved in Watson’s conduct are held accountable, in addition to and including Watson himself.”

USA TODAY Sports also reported in April about Watson’s use of the Houstonian hotel. Hardin has said the women are lying and that Buzbee views Watson as a “payday.”

He has not been arrested or charged. The NFL has been investigating the allegations and could suspend Watson if he is found to have violated the league's personal conduct policy. Earlier this year, the Texans traded Watson to the Cleveland Browns, who gave him a record guaranteed contract of $230 million over five years.
 
I still don't see how the Texans are liable, because they gave a high profile player a NDA.. NDAs are pretty common, they can't control what Watson did with them and they can't control what Watson does with his body or to someone else.
 
Carr Bombed said:
I still don't see how the Texans are liable, because they gave a high profile player a NDA.. NDAs are pretty common, they can't control what Watson did with them and they can't control what Watson does with his body or to someone else.
Click to expand...
The Texans Director of Security gave Watson the NDAs in response to Watson telling him that Nea Smith (lawsuit #23) posted publicly in Nov 2020 on Instagram 1) essentially she could expose what he did to her 2) posted his telephone number. Since the Director knew the reason for the need for the NDA, and should have probably informed the FO of the incident (which we don't know happened)...........the Texans can be said that they either knew about this and ignored it............or didn't follow up on it if they knew...........or should have known about it thru their security director. The Director one way or the other is an employee of the Texans............and in the liability world $h*t has the tendency to run uphill.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
It appears that Buzbee will only be attaching the lawsuit against the Texans to "some" of the civil lawsuits.
Click to expand...
I want to hear what the Texans knew if anything. What they may know and havent revealed just might add to Watson’s problems. This IMO makes NC’s open mic interviews of DW even more important.
 
Dejaview said:
Could this be a ploy to get the Texans to produce damning evidence against DW? seems to me the only non hearsay evidence that the Texans knew the details of these massages is only if DW told them the details, no way, or if the therapists told the Texans before the suits. Unlikely also.
Click to expand...

I hope when Cal found out someone told him they need to get their story straight when this goes public. They fired the Texans employee lending out the massage table.

I hope the Texans realize they need to fight this battle on two fronts - public and courtroom.

I hope Cal makes a public statement and says when he found out he told Watson he was a dumb SOB and he would never wear a Texans jersey again. That is why Watson posted the stuff on Twitter and why he demanded a trade.
 
Texans counting their draft picks:

giphy.gif
 
TexansBull said:
Why wouldn’t they?

It ain’t like the Browns didn’t know of the sexual harassment lawsuits. They admitted they did thorough research.

The league approved and signed off on the trade.
Click to expand...
Yes, but that only applys if you have faith in the direction of the NFL and have faith that Goodell wont get involved.

I for one do not.
 
KA4Texan said:
Yes, but that only applys if you have faith in the direction of the NFL and have faith that Goodell wont get involved.
Click to expand...

I'm curious how you'd play that scenario out..

So the picks are just given back to Cleveland (essentially/oddly rewarding the Browns at this point) and a newly suspended Watson is 'given' back to the Texans? And they all just make whatever inconvenient adjustments to each teams' salary caps and rosters that have had several additions/subtractions since the trade took place?

Those are just off the top of my head considerations btw, I'm asking mostly because I don't see how that toothpaste is actually put back in the tube..
 
Mollywhopper said:
I'm curious how you'd play that scenario out..

So the picks are just given back to Cleveland (essentially/oddly rewarding the Browns at this point) and a newly suspended Watson is 'given' back to the Texans? And they all just make whatever inconvenient adjustments to each teams' salary caps and rosters that have had several additions/subtractions since the trade took place?

Those are just off the top of my head considerations btw, I'm asking mostly because I don't see how that toothpaste is actually put back in the tube..
Click to expand...
I'm not saying it will be put "back in the tube" all I'm saying is I hope we get to keep them.

I simply do not trust the direction of the NFL nor do I trust the Commish to NOT meddle.
 
KA4Texan said:
I'm not saying it will be put "back in the tube" all I'm saying is I hope we get to keep them.

I simply do not trust the direction of the NFL nor do I trust the Commish to NOT meddle.
Click to expand...

That's fair.

Like I said I was just trying to see how you'd play out the whole notion of us not keeping them..

Like how would that actually take place for all parties and all parts involved?
 
Mollywhopper said:
That's fair.

Like I said I was just trying to see how you'd play out the whole notion of us not keeping them..

Like how would that actually take place for all parties and all parts involved?
Click to expand...
It could be that because of the NDAs and potential knowledge of players misdeeds to punish the Texans the deal is null and void because when the trade was signed off on it the NDAs were not disclosed information.

The NFL, lawyers and plenty of snakes in the garden can come up with something if not that to protect "the league" "their team" etc. That get paid to pull things out of their butts for a livong, getting paid far more than I do... but if they want to meddle, they can and will find a way to do so.
 
KA4Texan said:
It could be that because of the NDAs and potential knowledge of players misdeeds to punish the Texans the deal is null and void because when the trade was signed off on it the NDAs were not disclosed information.

The NFL, lawyers and plenty of snakes in the garden can come up with something if not that to protect "the league" "their team" etc. That get paid to pull things out of their butts for a livong, getting paid far more than I do... but if they want to meddle, they can and will find a way to do so.
Click to expand...

The Browns are on record explicitly stating that they did all the possible due diligence to feel good about making the deal. This was with 100% full informed consent from both parties.

And that still doesn't really explain what happens to the picks, the player, or the players contract status and the ripple effect all of that movement would have on the roster and salary cap moves that have taken place subsequent to the trade itself.

I just think something that dramatic could really even be in the cards.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Although there's been no official word from the NFL, I have just received word from a very reliable NFL source that Watson will be suspended for the 2022 and 2023 season and possibly more.
Click to expand...

The language used was "indefinite suspension".


If its any consolation to the victims, Watson may never collect a cent of that quarter billion dollar contract that was a slap in their collective faces at the time.
 
Mollywhopper said:
The Browns are on record explicitly stating that they did all the possible due diligence to feel good about making the deal. This was with 100% full informed consent from both parties.

And that still doesn't really explain what happens to the picks, the player, or the players contract status and the ripple effect all of that movement would have on the roster and salary cap moves that have taken place subsequent to the trade itself.

I just think something that dramatic could really even be in the cards.
Click to expand...

I could see the NFL giving the Browns comp picks but not taking away the picks they traded away to the Texans.
 
Legal analyst reveals how eyebrow-raising revelations could impact Watson case
Ken Hoffman
Jun 7, 2022, 7:02 pm
https://houston.sportsmap.com/deshaun-watson-texans-hardin-happy

There’s an episode of the classic 1950s (it was a different time) TV comedy, Amos ‘n Andy, where the two main characters, George “Kingfish” Stevens and Andy H. Brown, are arrested for jimmying a pay phone to retrieve “The Rare Coin.”

The Kingfish and Andy are standing before a judge who seems to be understanding of their situation – they were just trying to retrieve a rare nickel that Andy put in the phone by accident. That’s when the guys’ comically shifty lawyer, Algonquin J. Calhoun, bursts into the courtroom and starts screaming like a nut, “These two crooks didn’t do it!”

The judge recognizes Calhoun and asks the lawyer, “Didn’t I disbar you three years ago?” Calhoun gulps and bolts out of the courtroom, “So long boys!”

Their goose cooked, Kingfish turns to the judge and says one of the great lines in TV sitcom history.

“Excuse me, Your Honor, but how much ground did we lose while our lawyer was in here defending us?”

You couldn’t blame Deshaun Watson for asking the same question today, how much ground did he lose last week when his lawyer Rusty Hardin went on a Houston radio station defending him?

Hardin said, “I don’t know how many men are out there now that have had a massage that perhaps occasionally there was a happy ending. Maybe there’s nobody in your listening audience that that ever happened to. I do want to pout, if it has happened, it’s not a crime. OK?"

He went on, “Unless you are paying somebody extra or so to give you some type of sexual activity, it’s not a crime. Doing something or saying something or being a way that makes you uncomfortable is not a crime.''

Did he just say what I heard? Tony Buzbee, the lawyer defending the two dozen women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct, practically started tap dancing in a metaphoric end zone. I could imagine him offering to sponsor a weekly talk show starring Hardin.

Hardin went on social media to do some ‘splainin, Lucy. He said, "On a Houston radio show interview today, I mentioned that a massage that has a happy ending is not illegal, meaning it is not illegal for someone to have consensual sex with a therapist after a massage unless the sex is for pay.”

How many times are you going to say “happy ending.” Please stop, Rusty.

In his own defense, which might be his best bet moving forward, Watson has said he’s never done anything illegal or disrespectful of any woman, and admitted that he had sex with three of the massage ladies, but it was consensual each time.

While Watson did offer to settle all the civil cases against him, not every woman agreed to the buyout, so the offer was rescinded and there’s a chance that all two dozen cases are headed to court sometime in 2023. You think the Amber Heard v. Johnny Depp got down and dirty, just wait.Meanwhile the NFL is conducting its own investigation into Watson’s conduct and an announcement whether the league will punish Watson is expected shortly … whatever the NFL means by “shortly.”

It’s a lot easier to watch the steady drip-drip of troubling headlines about Watson now that he’s Cleveland’s problem, right Houston?

I asked Channel 2 legal analyst Brian Wice, did Deshaun Watson lose any ground when his lawyer Algonquin J. Hardin was on the radio defending him?

Wice said, “There's a reason why the first slide in my PowerPoint presentation on ‘Dealing with the Media’ is Hippocrates because any lawyer's primary objective in going on the air or on the record with a reporter should be "First, do no harm."

“And my take is that any sound bite that is driven by the expression ‘happy ending’ is probably not going to end well for the lawyer or the client.

“I'm not convinced that Rusty was correct in contending that a massage for a fee that concludes with sexual gratification was not illegal unless it was the result of an additional fee. Regardless of whether he was right, Rusty had to do damage control by issuing a statement attempting to explain exactly what he meant and one of the other rules in this biz is that if you're explaining, you're losing.”
 
This is much of what I have been saying about the stretching of the implications of the Texans actual involvement by the NYTimes article.

*************************************************************

ESPN Houston's Joel Blank and Jeremy Branham share their thoughts on The New York Times piece that placed blame on the Texans for what's going on with Deshaun Watson.

Check out the video below to watch the full conversation.

 
That's a lot of therapists out there that Watson interacted with.

That's a lot of complaints

I wonder why no player or acquaintance of Watson has come out to testify to conversations Watson had with them.

Surely Watson bragged about his escapades, spinning the story of course.

Sure, I understand not wanting to get involved with this mess, but it's the right thing to do.
 
thunderkyss said:
That's a lot of therapists out there that Watson interacted with.

That's a lot of complaints

I wonder why no player or acquaintance of Watson has come out to testify to conversations Watson had with them.

Surely Watson bragged about his escapades, spinning the story of course.

Sure, I understand not wanting to get involved with this mess, but it's the right thing to do.
Click to expand...

I agree with you but snitches get stitches.

Except if your Mike Fiers.
 
thunderkyss said:
That's a lot of therapists out there that Watson interacted with.

That's a lot of complaints

I wonder why no player or acquaintance of Watson has come out to testify to conversations Watson had with them.

Surely Watson bragged about his escapades, spinning the story of course.

Sure, I understand not wanting to get involved with this mess, but it's the right thing to do.
Click to expand...
Because they don't want to ruin things for him.............you know, "I have a girlfriend.":foottap:
 
KA4Texan said:
It could be that because of the NDAs and potential knowledge of players misdeeds to punish the Texans the deal is null and void because when the trade was signed off on it the NDAs were not disclosed information.

The NFL, lawyers and plenty of snakes in the garden can come up with something if not that to protect "the league" "their team" etc. That get paid to pull things out of their butts for a livong, getting paid far more than I do... but if they want to meddle, they can and will find a way to do so.
Click to expand...

I would be extremely surprised if the Texans get anything remotely like a punishment from the NFL. What has been forgotten in all this is what is going on with Washington where the sexual harassment, and possible assault, goes all the way to the owner and even Congress got involved. The NFL meanwhile did nothing because at the end of the day Goodell works for the owners and they don’t like him trying to punish them.

TexansBull said:
I could see the NFL giving the Browns comp picks but not taking away the picks they traded away to the Texans.
Click to expand...

I can’t, first comp picks are given for things outside of a teams control like a key player walking. They are not given because a team made a bad trade. Particularly when said team has pissed everyone else off with that trade.


As far as Buzbee adding the Texans to the lawsuit I’m surprised it took him this long, he must have had to had really dug deep to find anything at all. Rule number one of any lawsuit is go after the deepest pockets and despite his new contract Texans still have much deeper pockets than Watson.

I don’t think Buzbee actually expects to win in court he figures Texans will do what 99% of companies do and settle out of court with an NDA and the agreement Texans can spin the story however they want. Then no matter what happens with Watson he will have gotten some pay out.
 
djohn2oo8 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1535192899008225280
Oh boy
Click to expand...
Throughout my training and career, every textbook I have ever read and every symposium I have ever been exposed to regarding sexual victimization refers to "when power and influence are in the room, consent cannot be" in some form or another. The "counselor" seems to not be very smart with her response.........It is well known and classic behavior that victims commonly return to their abuser........especially "marginalized" victims, which was the only population Watson sought out for his escapades.
 
Mollywhopper said:
That's fair.

Like I said I was just trying to see how you'd play out the whole notion of us not keeping them..

Like how would that actually take place for all parties and all parts involved?
Click to expand...
I could see the NFL penalizing the Texans by taking some draft picks away from us depending on our involvement. Not giving them to the Browns, but making us forfeit one or more picks.
Hopefully it doesn't come to that and the findings are that we're in the clear.
 
wildroot said:
I could see the NFL penalizing the Texans by taking some draft picks away from us depending on our involvement. Not giving them to the Browns, but making us forfeit one or more picks.
Hopefully it doesn't come to that and the findings are that we're in the clear.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about this yesterday.
Still, they would have to prove there was knowledge of sexual impropriety going on concerning the Texans FO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top