New Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was resolute in denying allegations of sexual misconduct by 20-plus women at his introductory press conference on Friday.
The three-time Pro Bowler again insisted he'd never treated a woman with anything other than the utmost respect, and he maintained that he would not settle any of the 22 civil lawsuits he's facing, in hopes of fully clearing his name.
The assembled press corps on hand at Browns headquarters in Berea, Ohio, pelted Watson with questions about the cases, including asking him to explain why he'd enlisted the services of so many different massage therapists, and whether he'd seek counseling over his alleged behavior.
“It’s hard for me to say the counseling part because I don’t have a problem," Watson responded. "I don’t have an issue. That’s what I’ve been saying from the beginning.”
As to why he'd contracted at least 40 different masseuses in his five years in Houston, Watson said "you kind of meet people over time."
Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, has previously conceded that Watson had sexual encounters with some of the accusers, but he said those incidents were wholly consensual. Hardin also previously indicated that Watson's "unpredictable" schedule accounted for working with the dozens of different therapists.
"His schedule is longer than everybody else's, and it's more unpredictable," Hardin said last year. "He may not know until 11 o'clock at night what time he's got available tomorrow."
Watson's relationship with longtime girlfriend Jilly Anais, a Houston-based model, predates the allegations, and the couple appear to have remained together since the cases first surfaced in March 2021, at least judging by their social media posts.
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Earlier this month, a grand jury in Harris County, Texas, declined to indict Watson after nine criminal complaints were filed against him, while a grand jury in neighboring Brazoria County also declined to indict him on Thursday.
With the civil lawsuits and the prospect of a potential league suspension still looming for Watson, he said he intends to "continue to clear my name as much possible."
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