Plaintiffs’ lawyer is not making it easy for Watson
By: will-vandervort May 22, 2021

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is hoping to resolve the lawsuits filed against him before training camp begins. The problem is the plaintiffs’ lawyer is not concerned about what the former Clemson quarterback wants.

Attorney Tony Buzbee says the 22 women he is representing in the sexual assault and misconduct cases want full confidentiality as to any potential settlement with Deshaun Watson. However, Watson’s defense team does not want to offer that, they want there to be full disclosure in the settlement.

The end result could mean the settlement might not be reached in the timeframe Watson is hoping for.

“These women have been roundly criticized,” Buzbee said to SI.com. “What Rusty wants is to humiliate them and make them targets of unscrupulous people. So any resolution we would want confidential, and it would also require Mr. Watson getting some counseling.”

Watson wants a settlement to occur before training camps begin in late July so he can possibly play at some point this season (depending on any possible suspension from the NFL), and so it gives Houston an opportunity to grant Watson his request to be traded.

The NFL has already come out and said it will not make a decision into its own investigation in the Watson saga until after litigation has been settled. With the NFL on hold, it will force teams who might want to trade for Watson to sit and wait until everything is settled.