We all remember Deshaun Watson being handed a six-game suspension on Monday right? That seemed like a far cry from the indefinite suspension the NFL was reportedly looking for. But it seems those reports were correct because the league has appealed the suspension given to the Cleveland Browns quarterback.
The league said commissioner Roger Goodell will be the one to decide who will hear the appeal. Under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, Goodell can look at the appeal himself or he can assign someone else to do so.
In a statement, the NFL said, “Under the 2020 NFL-NFLPA collective bargaining agreement (‘CBA’), the factual findings of the Disciplinary Officer are binding and may not be appealed. Judge Robinson found that Mr. Watson violated the NFL’s personal-conduct policy on multiple occasions and suspended him for six games. The CBA affords the NFL or NFLPA the right to appeal the discipline imposed by the Disciplinary Officer. Such an appeal must be filed within three days and would be heard by the Commissioner or his designee.”
It continued, “The NFL notified the NFLPA that it will appeal Judge Robinson’s disciplinary decision and filed its brief this afternoon. Commissioner Roger Goodell will determine who will hear the appeal.”
Retired federal judge Sue Robinson, the mutually agreed-upon neutral arbiter who heard his case for the NFL and the NFL Players Association, handed down the six-game suspension on Monday in a 16-page report.
The league had up until Thursday morning to decide if they would like to appeal the suspension, which could lead to additional games added to the suspension or a player fine. But the league is focused on that indefinite suspension which would lead to Watson being suspended for at least one year. The NFLPA now has two days to respond to the league’s appeal.
Watson has maintained his innocence throughout the entire process and claims if there was intercourse with any of the 24 women who accused the quarterback of sexual assault, was consensual.