Tony Buzbee, who’s representing the 22 women bringing accusations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct against Deshaun Watson, says that the Cleveland Browns never contacted him before trading for the 26-year-old quarterback. The team released a statement on Sunday claiming to have spent a "tremendous amount of time" researching the case.
“The Browns organization did not reach out to me. I didn’t expect them to do so, and can understand why they didn’t. But, knowing what I know, they probably should have,” Buzbee said, according to ESPN's John Barr.
On March 11, a Texas grand jury decided not to indict Watson on criminal charges; however, he still faces civil cases.
Watson and the Browns agreed to a five-year deal on Friday worth a record $230 million, all of which is guaranteed.
After explaining that they've spoken with Watson and investigated the lawsuits, the Browns wrote in a statement: "Those in-depth conversations, the extensive evaluation process, his dedication to being a great teammate and devotion to helping others within the NFL, within the community, and through his charitable initiatives provided the foundation for us to pursue Deshaun. We are confident in Deshaun and excited about moving forward with him as our quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts."
[Via]
