BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – How do the Browns, who should have doctorates in crisis management by now, continue to be so bad at this stuff?
The Browns had five months to prepare for the eventuality that Deshaun Watson would be suspended, yet their response Monday was woefully insufficient, slow, and as if they were completely caught by surprise.
The kicker is that everyone knew something was coming down first thing Monday morning, yet the organization couldn’t bother to send someone out who actually read Sue L. Robinson’s final report to answer questions.
By 8:30 Monday morning we knew the discipline Robinson recommended – a six game suspension, no fine, no more private massage sessions allowed for Watson and Watson better behave himself off the field going forward.
In her final findings, Robinson ruled that (1) “Mr. Watson engaged in sexual assault (as defined by the NFL) against the four therapists identified in the Report;” (2) “Mr. Watson’s conduct posed a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person;” and (3) “Mr. Watson acted with a reckless disregard for the consequences of his actions by exposing himself (and the NFL) to such public scrutiny and speculation. Mr. Watson’s predatory conduct cast ‘a negative light on the League and its players.’”
Robinson’s report was a damning 16-page rebuke of Watson and the behavior he was accused of in 25 civil lawsuits, one of which was dropped following a judge’s ruling the plaintiffs had to use their names in the court filings and 23 that have been settled, leaving one case unsettled.
It was also a less than subtle criticism of the NFL’s inconsistent policymaking and discipline style.
By lunch the league had responded that they would be weighing their options to appeal or accept Robinson’s ruling under the terms of the collectively bargained process. They have three days to do so.
As for the Browns: crickets. Everyone was still waiting for a response to news that was months in the making.
Player availability Monday morning was wiped out and for good reason. We’ll give the Browns credit for that. There’s no need to throw Watson’s teammates to the wolves to answer questions about the result of their franchise quarterback’s alleged behavior.
It took the Browns until after 4 p.m. to finally issue a one-paragraph statement from ownership, who spent Monday afternoon’s practice gladhanding fans as if nothing was wrong or going on. Their statement was as follows:
“Throughout this process, Deshaun and his representatives have abided by the newly created and agreed upon process for the NFLPA and the NFL to defer to the objective Judge Sue L. Robinson to comprehensively review all information and make a fair decision. We respect Judge Robinson’s decision, and at the same time, empathize and understand that there have been many individuals triggered throughout this process. We know Deshaun is remorseful that this situation has caused much heartache to many and he will continue the work needed to show who he is on and off the field, and we will continue to support him.”
The remorseful line is especially rich considering Robinson went out of her way in her report to specifically mention Watson’s lack of contrition as being a contributing factor in her decision-making process.
“I note that there are aggravating factors applicable to Mr. Watson, that is, his lack of expressed remorse…” Robinson wrote.
After practice and the statement release, the one person who did answer questions Monday – head coach Kevin Stefanski – stepped in front of cameras and microphones woefully unprepared to answer them.
“I was out on the practice field, so I haven't read the entire report,” Stefanski said in response to a question about the contradictory views from Robinson and Browns ownership on Watson’s remorse, “but I believe Deshaun has told you guys in a press conference, he's told me privately, he wants to be the best version of himself. I believe that wholeheartedly. He's working on that, and I'll let Deshaun at some point speak for himself.”
To be fair to Stefanski, he is busy trying to coach and prepare a football team for the upcoming season, not manage the PR crisis brought on by ownership and his GM. He was put in an impossible situation by the organization and should not have been the defacto spokesperson Monday.
The people who had time to read Robinson’s report and should have answered the questions that came from the contents of that report – Watson, ownership, and EVP/GM Andrew Berry – all remain unavailable until the process concludes – i.e., the NFL appeal is complete, or the league stands by the six-game ban.
That’s not how any of this should work.
Ownership signed off on the move. Berry made it. Own it, because they’re the ones who signed everybody up for this, and yet all fans – and especially those who have been victims of or impacted by sexual assault – got was vague answers from Stefanski and a lame statement from the owners.
That’s as insulting, and this really doesn’t matter to us but please go buy your new Watson jerseys at the kiosks, as it gets.
But in the end, the Browns are right, and none of it seems to matter.
There have been no boos or protests of Watson or the team at training camp.
Their decision to bring in Watson is validated by post practice scenes of fans falling over themselves to get pictures with and autographs from Watson, which happened once again Monday afternoon.
He’s the newest savior.
So while the outrage remains for those who are deeply affected by these allegations and Watson’s presence, it’s already clear that once Watson takes the field in Baltimore in Week 7, all will be forgotten because for those attending camp, it already has been.
That the Browns were prepared for, and counting on.