Dabo Swinney said Friday he’s kept in touch with former quarterback Deshaun Watson “quite a bit” amid accusations of sexual misconduct and his ongoing NFL disciplinary process.
The Clemson Tigers head coach, who coached Watson in college, was asked about the Cleveland Browns’ six-game suspension.
“I’ve communicated with Deshaun over the last year or so quite a bit,” Swinney said Sunday. “He’s kind of at the back end of it. He’s been through all the legal stuff and now he’s kind of dealing with the last part of it. Not quite finality of it, but eventually it will be and he’ll move forward.”
Watson is facing a six-game suspension after former federal judge Sue L. Robinson concluded he violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy after accusations of sexual misconduct. The NFL has since appealed that suspension in hopes of further extending the suspension. Watson, who played three seasons at Clemson, has denied any wrongdoing.
With the NFL now appealing Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension, there’s a very real chance that his punishment could get worse in the coming weeks.
The NFL originally wanted Watson suspended for at least a year, and their appeal is a way to hopefully make that happen. Although Judge Sue Robinson ordered the six-game suspension, Roger Goodell on Thursday appointed former New Jersey AG Peter C. Harvey to oversee the appeals hearing.
Watson could have avoided all of this if he had settled his case with the NFL and he had a chance to do just that before Robinson delivered her judgement.
