Watson’s latest comments show that he’s learned nothing.
Deshaun Watson doesn’t get it, and he has absolutely no desire of getting it. That’s the takeaway from the quarterback’s first interview upon arriving at Browns training camp. A remorseless Watson stood in front of reporters on Sunday calling the allegations of at least 25 women for sexual misconduct, which he settled in civil court, a construct of the media who directed a “narrative” against him.
This wasn’t a case of misconstruing Watson’s words, or taking something out of context. As clear as he possibly could, Watson made it clear that he has absolutely no regret for what transpired.
In Watson’s view, it’s been unfair that the sexual assault and misconduct allegations were reported on, but not the personal struggles he had as a child to reach the NFL.
“There’s things [Watson’s upbringing] people don’t really get to hear about. Especially last year, it’s been the media directing and narrating something else. It’s been kinda overshadowed. I had that opportunity to tell that story to those guys and look my teammates in the eyes, and be able to touch them — let them know why I am who I am. It’s definitely impactful.”
The entire process since the allegations emerged has been to deflect, call the accusers liars, deny any wrongdoing — and now blame the media. The latest attempt by Watson to conflate the lack of coverage of his upbringing, with the widespread reporting of sexual misconduct is just another tactic being used in a playbook he’s been running since news emerged in 2021.
Of course, there’s a very clear reason why the difficulties of Watson’s personal life haven’t been widely reported on — and that’s because they’re not a story of national significance. Spend any time around the league and there are literally hundreds of examples of players overcoming personal adversity to find success in the NFL. It’s not that these stories aren’t interesting or important, but rather that on a national level the trope of “overcoming adversity” is too common to tell a broad audience.
Being accused by 25 women of sexual assault isn’t. That has happened only once in NFL history, and that story centered on Deshaun Watson.
Multiple elements to this can exist simultaneously. We can appreciate the struggles Watson went through to reach the NFL, and also be absolutely disgusted by the allegations against him. By trying to conflate the lack of coverage of his rise to the NFL with the widespread reporting on sexual misconduct, Watson is attempting to paint the media as a specter that preys on the negative and gleefully waits for someone’s downfall.
The man is entitled to his opinion. Just as we’re entitled to think this is disgusting. However, there is an element to this that’s couched in objective truth: The NFL punishment of Watson did nothing to change his pattern of thinking.
As part of Watson’s suspension he was to undergo evaluation by behavior experts, as well as complete a treatment program. Those behind-the-scenes processes are largely unknown, but something has occurred which has given the NFL cause to believe he’s fine to return to competition while Watson is still saying he did nothing wrong, the women lied and the media created this whole thing.
It’s a staunch contrast from a year ago, after Watson was reinstated when he said:
“Look, I want to say that I’m truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation,” Watson said in the interview. “The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back, but I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward.”
It was a terrible apology, but at least went further than saying “the media directed this narrative.” What it’s allowed him to do is solidify the beliefs of misogynists that his apology was insincere and forced, because Deshaun Watson has proven it was insincere and forced. Nothing was learned from whatever “training” he was forced to undergo, other than check an NFL-mandated box. When you speak the way Watson did at training camp it doesn’t show that he is a “true person or character,” or that he is “truly sorry” to the women he would eventually pay off in court to make this all go away.
Watson’s focus wasn’t on apologizing, it was to try and make his teammates understand that the big, bad media did this — not Deshaun Watson.
So, here we are. The quarterback with the best contract in the entire league is a remorseless alleged sexual predator who paid off his victims, didn’t learn anything from his punishment, and wants to deflect blame onto someone else.
Shame on the Browns for assisting in downplaying what happened. Shame on the NFL for having such a feckless sexual assault policy that he was able to skirt through it without any change, and shame of Deshaun Watson for continuing to push his own narrative that he did nothing wrong.
