If Judge Sue L. Robinson decided to suspend Deshaun Watson for eight games instead of six, Adam Schefter thinks it’s possible we’d be having a different discussion right now.
The retired judge recommended that the NFL suspend Watson six games for his violation of the NFL personal conduct policy, which stemmed from allegations of sexual misconduct by Watson from massage therapists he saw.
Robinson’s recommendation ultimately is just that, a recommendation. While the league has indicated a desire to simply go with her decision, it is allowed to make what basically amounts to a unilateral decision from Roger Goodell on Watson on what the final punishment will be.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter addressed the possibility of it being anything other than six games on his podcast (which you can listen to here).
“I was told last week that the chances of the NFL appealing a decision from the judge were low, that league wanted – wanted – to live with the decision,” Schefter said. “But I think it was hoping that the decision would be longer than six games. Now, I can tell you this, if it was four the league was going to appeal. Six I think is a little bit of a gray area and puts the league in a tough spot.
“I think the league probably could have accepted eight or more, which I guess is probably what the judge was looking for maybe when she made the decision, it’s enough to make the league uncomfortable. Deshaun Watson’s camp wasn’t happy with the decision either, which is amazing.”
Among the reasons Robinson was tasked with making the recommendation is because of criticism of how such issues have been handled in the past by the league. Goodell immediately making his own decision that goes against Robinson’s and furthers the penalty for Watson probably won’t be met well by the NFLPA.
However, Watson getting six games is not going over well with many NFL fans. Goodell and the league have been criticized previously for how they’ve handled case of violence and misconduct against women. Accepting a decision that many think is too light won’t help Goodell mend that fence.
Goodell has three days to make a decision on Watson, although that deadline can be extended.
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