Women Suing Deshaun Watson Subpoena Texans for Records on NDAs, Correspondence

The lawyers representing the 22 women who have filed civil lawsuits against Deshaun Watson alleging sexual assault and misconduct have subpoenaed the Houston Texans.

Per Adam Ferrise of Cleveland.com, the subpoena filed Wednesday in Harris County District Court is asking "for correspondence between Watson and the Texans' security staff, coaches and its head trainer, among other information."

According to Ferrise, the attorneys are "seeking records relating to correspondence from the team about any possible non-disclosure agreements."

The 22nd civil lawsuit was filed against Watson in April 2021 says Watson told a massage therapist she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before he would pay her for a massage.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff said Watson "grabbed" her buttocks while his "penis was erect ... and completely exposed" during a massage.

There are several specific records the attorneys for the women are seeking from the Texans, including communication between the Texans and two Houston-based hotels where some of the women met Watson for massages; any correspondence between Watson and any Texans coaches about the allegations; and any records of payments made by the Texans on Watson's behalf from 2019-20 for physical therapy or massages.

Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, told Ferrise he's "not sure" what the subpoena is about. 

"I don't think this is significant," said Hardin. "[The Texans] had nothing to do with the massages, so other than that I'm not sure what this will do."

Earlier this month, Harris County District Court Judge Rabeea Sultan Collier ruled that Watson had to answer any questions about whether he had sex with 18 different massage therapists who issued a statement through Hardin in his defense about their experience with him.

Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal charges related to the allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

Watson, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Texans, was traded to the Cleveland Browns on March 18.

The 26-year-old didn't appear in a game with Houston last season. He remains subject to possible discipline by the NFL under the personal conduct policy.