From WSJ...NfL to push for a minimum 1 year ban for Watson

[jgb]

1 minute ago, Green Ghost said:

Under the new agreement though, I’m under the impression Goodall doesn’t get to decide this. It goes to a mediator. They decide,

That’s why you read the NFL is pushing for x, and the NFLPA will be pushing for Y.

Didn't know that, thank you

[ZachEY]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:15 PM, Doggin94it said:

Yes. Also, if you look at how indefinite suspensions handed down by the league get handled, here's the list since 2007:

Vick (2007) - 2 years

Ray Rice (2014) - overturned on appeal

Adrian Peterson (2014) - 6 mos

Myles Garrett (2019) - 6 mos

Odell Thurman (2008) - never reinstated

Travis Henry (2008) - 4 years

Johnny Jolly (2010) - 3 years

Tanard Jackson (2010) - 1 year

Tanard Jackson (2012) - 2 years

Justin Blackmon (2013) - never reinstated

Fred Davis (2014) - 1 year

Tanard Jackson (yes, again, 2014) - never reinstated

Aldon Smith (2015) - 5 years

Trey Watts (2015) - never reinstated

LaRon Landry (2015) - never reinstated

Silas Redd (2016) - 8 months

Sammie Lee Hill (2016) - never reinstated

Rolando McClain (2016) - never reinstated

Martavis Bryant (2018) - never reinstated

Josh Gordon (2019) - 1 year, then another year after violating the terms of a conditional reinstatement

Most of those last a looong time, even discounting the "never reinstated" fringe guys who no team was interested enough in signing (so they never bothered applying for reinstatement). With 26 separate accusations, if the NFL investigation believes the accusations are real, I'd be surprised if he's back in less than a year and a half. 

 

He already got that signing bonus, yep. But his contract tolls. If the league really wants to screw with the Browns, keep Watson out for 4 years and let him come back in 2026 as a 31 year old who hasn't played in 4 years - and who the Browns will then owe 230M over the next 5 years

Is there some mechanism for the league nullifying a contract?  Seems like they'd have to get involved here if they were going to suspend him forever.  Can the Browns seek to recover the signing bonus?

[ZachEY]

23 hours ago, RutgersJetFan said:

The obvious comparison here is Vick, but the difference with Vick was he plead guilty, did his time, accepted what he did and spent quite literally almost all of his free time drawing awareness after the fact and owning up to his mistakes. And the fact that the Eagles brought him back on a small deal when all the dust had settled. There's a PR side to this that takes such a heavy toll, and it's hard to imagine the Browns or Watson being able to overcome the time off in the same way not only due to his denial of everything, but really the lack of available options that Vick had regarding a post-suspension regaining of his image. What's he going to do? Go on a Don't Sexually Assault Massage Therapists campaign? What a mess.

"And remember kids, it's important to always keep your penis to yourself."

[Green Ghost]

I never thought Houston would come out of this smelling like rose when Watson decided to sit out last year, but right now they’re like…

[Doggin94it]

19 minutes ago, ZachEY said:

Is there some mechanism for the league nullifying a contract?  Seems like they'd have to get involved here if they were going to suspend him forever.  Can the Browns seek to recover the signing bonus?

No. The typical mechanism is cutting the player and not paying the unguaranteed portion, but the Browns guaranteed it all. And they expressly waived their right to void the deal and recover the signing bonus if he's suspended based on activity that was disclosed to them before signing him.

[ZachEY]

7 minutes ago, Doggin94it said:

No. The typical mechanism is cutting the player and not paying the unguaranteed portion, but the Browns guaranteed it all. And they expressly waived their right to void the deal and recover the signing bonus if he's suspended based on activity that was disclosed to them before signing him.

Ok - So, in the verbiage, "based on activity that was disclosed to them before signing," is there not room for them to say, "well, 6 other women came forward and that changed the calculus?"

[FootballLove]

47 minutes ago, ZachEY said:

Is there some mechanism for the league nullifying a contract?  Seems like they'd have to get involved here if they were going to suspend him forever.  Can the Browns seek to recover the signing bonus?

The league most likely already 'approved' the contract and draft picks when the deal was done. The fact a few more women came forward can't really change this. Everyone knew that any masseuse Watson employed for the last 10 years was a 'possibility' once Watson began handing out millions of dollars.

If anything, all parties involved are surprised only 4 more came forward. They were probably expecting 200 more.

[Fantasy Island]

On 6/26/2022 at 1:06 PM, Jet Nut said:

To me the women he settled with are the women he knows he violated.  Doesn’t mean he’s paying off anyone who files.  But if there are any others out there that were violated they should get theirs.  He’s obviously a predator who needs to pay

Wasn't it weird though how all this comes out when he states he wants out of Houston.

Was he in hot water there and wanted away from this quick, or did the team try to use their knowledge of the situation as leverage to keep him there?

It's all too coincidental. 

[Doggin94it]

3 hours ago, ZachEY said:

Ok - So, in the verbiage, "based on activity that was disclosed to them before signing," is there not room for them to say, "well, 6 other women came forward and that changed the calculus?"

Yes, potentially - but I think they'd have a hard time showing it was the last two that made all the difference