While the Browns hope that Deshaun Watson will become one of the greatest players in the history of their franchise, another Cleveland sports icon's family is severing ties with the organization over their decision to employ the embattled quarterback.
Andrea Thome -- the wife of Hall of Fame first baseman Jim Thome -- announced on Twitter Friday that after the Browns introduced Watson, the family cancelled their season tickets:
The Browns introduced Watson as their new quarterback Friday, in a press conference that largely centered around the off-the-field problems that have followed him for the last year.
While grand juries in Harris County and Brazoria County -- both in Texas -- have elected not to move forward with criminal proceedings against Watson, he still faces civil suits from 22 women who allege that he engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct during massage therapy sessions.
Despite that, the Browns not only sent a package headlined by three first-round picks to the Houston Texans to acquire Watson, but they gave him a fully guaranteed five-year/$230 million contract.
Watson, 26, has maintained his innocence throughout the course of the last year, and continued to do so on Friday.
"I've never assaulted or disrespected or harassed a woman in my life," Watson told the collective media.
But as 22 women continue to seek justice from Watson in the civil system, many struggle to believe that there was no wrongdoing from the quarterback. Thome appears to be among those.
It remains unclear how the NFL will proceed with Watson while these 22 lawsuits are still pending. They could suspended him, place him on the commissioner's exempt list while the cases are playing out or allow him to play until a resolution is reached, whether that's all 22 cases go to trial or there are settlements.
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