On Friday, the Houston Police announced that they would begin conducting an investigation regarding allegations against quarterback Deshaun Watson, which subsequently prompted a response from the Texans a few days later.
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On Monday, Texans chairman Cal McNair and his family released a statement to their season ticket holders, which touched on not only Watson, but the team's offseason and their excitement toward welcoming fans back to NRG Stadium. However, the bulk of the note focused on the legal drama surrounding their quarterback (via Sean Pendergast of SportsRadio 610):
"We want to take this opportunity to address the complaint filed with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the allegations made in the civil lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson. We want to assure you that we take these allegations very seriously. As reported, HPD and the National Football League are conducting investigations and we will cooperate fully. We respect the legal process and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
"While we await the conclusion of these investigations, we express our strong stance against any form of sexual assault. Our family and the entire Houston Texans organization are deeply troubled by any form of abuse and we condemn this type of behavior. We will continue to commit resources to help prevent abusive behaviors from occurring in our community and ensure respect for all.
"Over the past 10 years, the Houston Texans foundation, the McNair Foundation and the McNair family have donated more than $10 million to organizations whose focus centers on strengthening families, preventing abuse and providing much-needed services to those who have fallen victim to domestic violence or sexual abuse. This is deeply personal to our family and remains a priority."
On Monday, a 22nd woman filed a lawsuit against Watson, alleging sexual misconduct that occurred during a 2020 massage session (via Tom Schad of USA Today), which makes it 23 total allegations against the quarterback. The one that does not count toward that aforementioned total came from a Sports Illustrated article, though the woman who shared her story with Sports Illustrated did not want to file a lawsuit.
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However, Watson's attorney shared statements from 18 massage therapists that showed support of the quarterback as he continues to deny allegations of any non-consensual sexual activity.
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