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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Guess who’s back in the storyline of another crazy Browns season?
Rusty Hardin and Tony Buzbee.
Yes, those swashbuckling, headline-grabbing lawyers from Houston have re-invaded our world as a result of the latest civil lawsuit against Deshaun Watson.
Buzbee is representing the latest alleged victim, an unnamed woman who charges Watson with sexual assault and battery in her apartment prior to a planned date between the two.
Hardin is defending Watson against a complaint that stems back to October of 2020 when he was inactive with the Houston Texans and the Browns were stalking the playoffs with Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Remember him?
The two Texas barristers traded statements on Wednesday as Watson and the Browns were trying to focus on cleaning up the mess from a season-opening embarrassment to the Dallas Cowboys and regrouping for Game 2 in Jacksonville against the Jaguars.
Hardin emailed his statement, his first comments about the civil suit filed on Monday in Houston, minutes before Watson’s weekly appearance in front of media.
It read:
“Deshaun strongly denies the allegations in the Jane Doe lawsuit filed Monday. We have asked him not to comment further while this matter works its way through the courts, but are comfortable he will ultimately be vindicated.
“We will be ready to defend this case in court at the appropriate time, but don’t intend to conduct our defense in the media. We would ask that people be patient while the legal process runs its course.
“In the meantime, Deshaun is going to focus his energy and concentration on football.”
Watson’s time was next. And even though Browns VP of communications Peter John-Baptiste asked to confine questions to football, Watson answered everything thrown at him. And one of his main points triggered a vigorous response from Buzbee.
Watson was asked if he was aware the lawsuit was coming when he played so miserably against the Cowboys?
“No, sir,” Watson replied. “I found out exactly whenever everyone else found out.”
Before Watson could finish his 14-minute media appearance, Buzbee ripped off a response on his Instagram account.
Buzbee wrote:
“We feel compelled to release this statement based on the innumerable press inquiries we’ve received:
“We reached out to attorney Rusty Hardin’s office for ten months in an attempt to resolve this case. We knew this case was the most serious and egregious case brought against Watson to date and our client, who is rightly traumatized by these events, wanted to attempt a private resolution. We thought that was the best approach given the media storm that occurred surrounding the legion of other claims. Unfortunately, Watson’s team or maybe his lawyers couldn’t or wouldn’t give this case the attention it was due. Mr. Hardin now has tried to contact us since we filed suit. Unfortunately we see that now as too little, too late. But, we are officers of the court, and we will give Mr. Hardin and his esteemed team the respect he has earned and will work with him to progress this case in an efficient manner.
“With regard to whether Deshaun Watson “knows who this woman is,” I hope that’s his defense. He is well aware of what he did. This case is strong and now that we have filed we will pursue it with vigor.
“We have heard from the NFL. We will respond in due course.
“Finally, you should know that, although I wasn’t aware of her claims, Mr. Watson was well aware of this victim and her claims immediately after it occurred and Watson was again reminded back when we filed the first lawsuit for the other multiple victims. (I wasn’t part of that.) I can understand, given the number of women that Mr. Watson has interacted with, that he could forget some or many of them. However, given the nature of the alleged conduct in this case, I expect this incident is something he wouldn’t soon forget.
“We look forward to a trial by jury.”
Buzbee’s client is seeking $1 million in damages.
Aside from Hardin and Buzbee, the newest suit against Watson reintroduces Lisa Friel into the fray.
Friel is the former Chief of Sex Crimes Unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office who was hired by the NFL as Special Counsel for Investigations. Friel led the NFL’s investigation into the initial 24 complaints by Houston-area massage therapists against Watson in 2022 that ultimately led to his 11-game suspension in that season, a $5 million fine, and mandatory behavioral therapy.
Friel now will probe into this latest allegation, after which the NFL will determine whether Watson deserves another suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The whole investigation in 2022 took about four months. So Watson’s 2024 season might be safe. But if Watson does receive another suspension it could void the remaining two years of his Browns contract – if the Browns pursue that action.
“I haven’t had any thought [about another league suspension], honestly,” Watson said. “My focus, again, is figuring out Jacksonville’s plan on defense and focusing on my craft to be the best quarterback I can be on Sunday for this team. You know, that’s something that the NFL has to do on their time and I have to focus on what’s in front of me right now.”
Would the Browns take advantage of a loophole if Watson is suspended and seek to void the last two years of Watson’s $230 million contract?
Watson wasn’t asked that question directly, but he did ascertain the organization remains committed to him.
“You know, I can’t speak for the fans,” he said. “I can’t speak for anybody outside this building. But I know that hearing from the Haslams and AB [GM Andrew Berry] and those guys, I know that they tell me each and every day that they support me, and they got my back and that they want me to focus on being the best quarterback I can be.
“So that’s all I can do is just speak my truth, tell them the truth. They talked with my legal team and everyone that was a part of this whole process. And they have to make their decision, and that decision was to, give me the opportunity to come be their franchise quarterback to help this team win.”
Welcome back, Hardin and Buzbee and Friel, to the NFL experience of life with the Browns and Deshaun Watson. As we have learned, this story never ends.