Deshaun Watson will not face criminal charges after a grand jury heard accusations.- Sexual assault and misconduct allegations were made against Watson by several women, including several massage therapists.
A Texas grand jury decided on Friday that
Watson was facing several criminal complaints after allegations of sexual assault and misconduct were made by several massage therapists who had worked with the Texans quarterback. On Friday, the grand jury decided not to indict Watson, ending the criminal case.
—Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) March 11, 2022
Watson still faces 22 lawsuits in civil court for similar allegations and could still face punishment from the
NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy addressed the case in a statement, per ESPN's Sarah Barshop, saying the league has "been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy."
The lack of criminal charges, however, could open the door for a potential departure from the Texans.
Watson, 26, has four years left on his contract, and according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there should be interest from several teams to trade for him.
While Watson was never disciplined, suspended or put on the Commissioner's Exempt list, Watson did not play during the 2021 NFL season while his case worked through the legal system. Watson's benching was not a decision made by the NFL but rather by the Texans, as NFL insiders reported that he would likely never play another snap in Houston.