ABC News Today

BEREA, Ohio – Deshaun Watson’s suspension has been increased from six to 11 games, and he will pay a $5 million fine to the NFL, which had sought a tougher penalty for the Browns quarterback. The agreement was reached.

At the NFL’s request, Watson’s case was reviewed by former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey after the league appealed the Aug. 1 decision by Sue L. Robinson, an official independent disciplinarian who recommended the NFL suspend Watson for six games. .

The decision to suspend Robinson followed the NFL’s investigation into allegations made by women who accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The NFL expected a stricter ruling and a fine for Watson.

“We’ve seen the evidence, [Robinson] he was very clear on the evidence, he strengthened the evidence,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Aug. 9. “There were multiple violations that were egregious and it was predatory behavior.”

Watson’s was the first case heard by Robinson as part of the league’s new discipline policy agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement signed in 2020. According to the ABC, violations of the personal conduct policy of the NFL are initially determined by a jointly appointed disciplinary officer after serving. as hearing officer.

In her 16-page ruling, Robinson, who was appointed jointly by the league and the NFL Players Association, called Watson’s behavior “egregious” and “predatory,” as Goodell reiterated in the his comments on Tuesday. The women alleged he sexually assaulted or harassed them during massage sessions when the quarterback played for the Houston Texans.

The former federal judge concluded that Watson violated league policy by having unwanted sexual contact with another person, endangering the safety and well-being of another person and undermining the integrity of the league.

However, in imposing the suspension, Robinson pointed to flaws in the league’s guidelines for player misconduct, which limited its authority to sanction him.

Before the decision, Watson and the NFLPA announced that they would not appeal Robinson’s decision regardless of the outcome and urged the league to do the same, but the NFL did not comply with that request.

A day before Watson started in the Browns’ first preseason game against the Jaguars, sources confirmed to the Associated Press that Watson proposed an eight-game suspension and a $5 million fine to settle the matter and avoid missing the 2022 season.

RELATED: Browns QB Deshaun Watson willing to accept 8-game suspension, AP sources say

Then, hours before Friday’s game, Watson publicly expressed remorse and contrition for the first time since he was accused of sexually harassing or assaulting women during therapy sessions in 2020 and 2021.

Watson apologized “to all the women I have affected” after being accused by two dozen women of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson has a one-on-one interview with Aditi Kinkhabwala

The agreement reached between the league and Watson will be signed on Thursday, but has been mutually agreed upon, sources said.

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Deshaun Watson suspended 6 games without fine following NFL sexual misconduct investigation

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