As part of its reply brief to the league’s appeal in Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s discipline case, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) included a detailed list of past misconduct by NFL owners. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is one of them, according to Fort Worth Star-Telegram sources.
The Browns’ QB was suspended for six games under the league’s personal conduct policy, by the independent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson after two dozen women in Texas accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The allegations date back to Watson’s time with the Houston Texans, which Watson has denied.
The NFL is seeking an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a fine of around $8 million. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is private, also said that Watson would be subjected to evaluation and treatment as determined by medical experts before being reinstated.
Jones told the Star-Telegram in an exclusive interview that the NFLPA frequently compares owners and players, referring to it as “shooting volleys.”
“It is a standard players association comeback,” The 79-year-old man said. ”That is the drill. That is the drill to go around to say you didn’t punish such and such.”
“Anybody would know that every player case and every case that involves non-players in the NFL are dealing with dramatically different principle facts, which is all the difference in the world.” he continued.
Jones recently paid $2.4 million to Cowboys cheerleaders in response to a lawsuit filed against the Cowboys owner and his associates for voyeurism, according to ESPN. The owner was accused of secretly videotaping cheerleaders changing, but the league did not investigate.
The League’s history of dealing with sexual misconduct
The NFL has been chastised for inconsistently disciplining players for off-field behavior and for acting as judge and jury, and Watson’s case was the first key challenge of a new collectively bargained protocol designed to deal with these issues.
Robinson said in her conclusion that the NFL “is attempting to impose a more dramatic shift in its culture without the benefit of fair notice to — and consistency of consequence for — those in the NFL subject to the Policy.”
The League said in a statement that it “will make a determination on next steps,” while expressing gratitude to Robinson for “diligence and professionalism.”
Historically, the league has set the standard for players involved in sexual assault lawsuits at six games. There have also been instances where owners, such as Dan Snyder of the Washington Commanders, received little punishment for sexual assault behavior.
When the league discovered sexual misconduct against team employees in 2021, Snyder was fined $10 million. Snyder was not suspended, and the team did not lose any draft picks.
Furthermore, Watson is not the only Cowboys player who has been accused of misconduct. After being accused of assault in college, running back Ezekiel Elliott was suspended for six games in 2017, inquiring about the league’s jurisdiction over the incident.
Josh Brown, the former New York Giants placekicker, was initially suspended for one game due to a lack of evidence of domestic violence. Brown was suspended for an additional six games after the league re-examined the case in 2017.
Following criticism of Commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of suspensions, particularly in domestic violence cases involving Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, the NFL established its own investigative unit in 2014 to standardize its approach to cases involving allegations of violence against women.