In a lawsuit filed Monday in Houston, Texas, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is accused of sexual assault and battery during a date in October 2020.
The new civil lawsuit alleges that Watson exposed himself, demanded a massage and sexually assaulted the victim before she could fight back and convince him to leave her apartment.
Watson, who was playing for the Houston Texans at the time, violated sections of the Texas penal code that were imposed for causing a public nuisance and assault, the lawsuit says. The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages.
A league spokesman declined to comment Monday.
In August 2022, the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million for violating the NFL’s code of conduct after more than 20 women alleged that Watson was guilty of sexual assault during massage therapy sessions.
Watson reached confidential settlements with 23 of the 24 women in 2022. He had previously denied any wrongdoing and claimed that any sex with the women was consensual. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson in 2022, despite 10 women filing criminal complaints.
The NFL required Watson to undergo a mandatory physical and treatment as part of his reinstatement.
The Browns traded several draft picks – including three first-round picks – to Houston for Watson in March 2022 and also signed the quarterback to a five-year contract with $230 million guaranteed.
Watson played 13 games for the Browns, but struggled to establish himself in Cleveland due to injuries and subpar performance.
