The National Organization For Women doesn’t think Deshaun Watson’s suspension was “nowhere near enough.”
Last week Watson agreed to an 11-game suspension with a $5 million fine and would “undergo a professional evaluation by behavioral experts and will follow their treatment program.”
The NFL and Deshaun Watson have reached a settlement on his discipline for violating the personal conduct policy: an 11 game suspension (up from the six originally imposed by Sue Robinson, down from the full season requested by the NFL) and a $5M fine. #Browns
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 18, 2022
Additionally, Deshaun Watson – who told me Friday he has been undergoing counseling for months – is required to “promptly undergo a professional evaluation by behavioral experts and will follow their treatment program.” #Browns https://t.co/4rbarDvERF
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 18, 2022
The National Organization for Women blasted the NFL for being too lenient on Watson in a released statement.
The NFL’s decision to up Deshaun Watson’s fine and suspension from six games to 11, with a $5 million fine and a mandatory behavioral evaluation and treatment program is nowhere near enough.
That $5 million represents 2.1739% of Watson’s new $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns, which was negotiated after more than two dozen women had accused the star athlete of sexual misconduct.
NOW is pleased to see behavioral evaluation and treatment recognized as best practices by the NFL, but they have a lot to learn about math. What is the point of a $5 million fine to Deshaun Watson—or to the NFL, which made an estimated $9.8 billion during the 2021 season, and more than $15 billion the season before?
Professional teams, leagues, and players need to take the violence against women crisis in professional sports seriously. That means more than the $1 million each to be donated by the NFL and the Browns to “educate young people” on things like healthy relationships and “support survivors and related causes.”
Women need more than empty words and half-measures. The culture of toxic masculinity within the NFL must change—NOW. Deshaun Watson’s career and wealth won’t be damaged by this decision—unlike the dozens of women he has irreparably harmed.
No, this isn’t good enough.