National Organization for Women: Deshaun Watson Suspension 'Nowhere Near Enough'

The National Organization for Women criticized the 11-game suspension and $5 million fine given to Deshaun Watson on Thursday, as agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA, saying it's "nowhere near enough."

"That $5 million represents 2.1739 percent of Watson’s new $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns, which was negotiated after more than two dozen women had accused the star athlete of sexual misconduct," the advocacy group said in a statement. "NOW is pleased to see behavioral evaluation and treatment recognized as best practices by the NFL, but they have a lot to learn about math."

Watson—who was accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct by 25 different women in civil lawsuits filed against him—was originally suspended six games by independent arbitrator Sue L. Robinson.

The NFL appealed that suspension and sought at least a one-year ban, and the league and NFLPA settled on Thursday's punishment.

For NOW, that decision fell short of the mark.

"Women need more than empty words and half-measures. The culture of toxic masculinity within the NFL must change—NOW," its statement read. "Deshaun Watson’s career and wealth won’t be damaged by this decision—unlike the dozens of women he has irreparably harmed. No, this isn’t good enough."

Watson has since settled 23 of the 25 lawsuits against him, and one has been dropped. Two separate grand juries in Texas also declined to pursue criminal charges.

In March he was traded to the Browns and signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. The Browns structured his contract to include a base salary of just $1 million in 2022, with many critics of the move arguing that the team did so to help alleviate as much potential financial impact from a suspension as possible.

Peter King of NBC Sports reported the following in March after the deal was signed:

"Jimmy and Dee Haslam. Not the most popular people at the league meetings on Sunday. I heard lots of grumbling from those who think a) trading six picks for a player who may be found guilty of heinous offenses or b) signing Watson to the richest guaranteed contract in league history and giving him an $80-million raise 'stinks to high heaven,' as one team exec said. The Haslams had to know it was coming, and now that they've traded for and signed Watson, it's not going away."

On Thursday, Watson vacillated between being remorseful and maintaining that he believes he did nothing wrong, a somewhat contradictory approach.

"I'll continue to stand on my innocence, just because you know settlements, and things like that happen doesn't mean that a person is guilty for anything," he told reporters. "I feel like a person has an opportunity to stand on his innocence and prove that, and we proved that from a legal side, and just going to continue to push forward as an individual and as a person."

As for why he apologized in his public statement if he felt he was innocent, Watson responded: "For everyone that was affected by this situation. There were a lot of people that were triggered."

"We respect his opinion," Browns co-owner Dee Haslam told reporters when asked about Watson proclaiming his innocence. "I do think in counseling Deshaun will learn a lot more about himself."

Whether he received enough of a punishment as he goes through that process remains a hotbed topic around the NFL.