As the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) appeals the six-game suspension imposed on Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson, his participation in Week One against the Carolina Panthers seems impossible.
The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell attempted to extend the quarterback’s suspension and make it indefinite but the argument that Watson should be allowed to play while the case is being resolved is weak and unconvincing, and it will almost certainly fail in court.
Suits filed by the NFLPA against the NFL in the past have resulted in suspensions being delayed. While the lawsuits were being resolved in court, both New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott were able to play in regular-season games.
However, Elliott and Brady’s situations were not the same as Watson’s. Because the NFLPA did not file an appeal of Judge Sue L. Robinson’s six-game suspension, he was forced to sit out the first six games of the season before returning in Week 7.
Brady and Elliot suspension
In 2015, Brady was accused of being “at least generally aware” of a scheme to deflate footballs. He was ultimately suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season, and the team was fined $1 million and lost two draft picks as a result. The winner of seven Super Bowls has consistently denied all allegations.
Brady’s suspension was initially overturned by U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Berman, who ruled that the NFL failed to notify Brady of the possibility of a suspension.
The NFL suspended Elliott for six games without pay for his alleged role in a domestic violence case in 2017. Although he was never proven to be guilty, Elliott sat out Weeks 10 through 15 of his six-game suspension until late in the 2017 season. Elliott was granted a preliminary injunction, which halted the suspension until the court proceedings were completed.
The NFLPA appealed for both Brady and Elliott. The suspensions were upheld, and the NFLPA then sued the NFL, claiming that neither player had committed any offenses warranting suspensions.
Watson’s case
In Watson’s case, Judge Robinson’s factual findings are conclusive in the appeals process. Watson committed “non-violent sexual assault” on four massage therapists, resulting in three separate violations of the Personal Conduct Policy, according to her findings.
At this point, the union cannot deny that Watson breached the policy. The only question is whether the punishment will remain at six games or more.
In 2022, the Browns will pay him a base salary of $1.035 million. That means that the games he misses this year will cost him money based solely on that figure. If his suspension extends into 2023, each game missed will cost him a portion of the $46 million guaranteed salary he is set to receive that year. Watson would lose $2,705,882 per game rather than $60,882 per game.
"The NFLPA & Deshaun Watson aren't contesting the six game suspension so even if this goes to federal court he'll be out the first six games" ~@RapSheet#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/NZgejVIPTm
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 5, 2022
NFL Week One
The 2022 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 8, when the Los Angeles Rams take on the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. For the second year in a row, the season will begin and end in the same stadium.
On Sunday, September 11, there are 14 games spread across three windows. The Panthers will face Cleveland in Week 1 of the regular season at 11 p.m ET. The Dallas Cowboys host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a rematch of the 2021 NFL season on the first Sunday of the season.