Deshaun Watson Cited for Speeding After Trade to Browns; Was Going 27 MPH over Limit

Deshaun Watson was cited for speeding by police over the summer after he was traded to the Cleveland Browns.

Per TMZ Sports, the Ohio State Highway Patrol pulled Watson over for driving 97 mph in a 70 mph zone on June 11.

Watson told the officer he was traveling back to the city from Detroit. TMZ noted court records show the case was closed on July 6 after the veteran quarterback paid a $185 fine.

According to TMZ, Watson's interaction with the officers was "cordial" and he was allowed to leave after being issued the citation.

The Browns acquired Watson from the Houston Texans on March 18. After the deal, he also signed a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract extension. It's the largest fully-guaranteed deal in NFL history.

Watson's trade to Cleveland came as he was facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Two additional civil lawsuits were filed against him before May 31, bringing the total number up to 24.

As of July 31, Watson settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits. He received an 11-game suspension and a $5 million fine for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy after a settlement on discipline was reached between the league and NFL Players Association.

A new civil lawsuit was filed against Watson on Oct. 13 in Harris County District Court. The suit alleges Watson attempted to "solicit" sexually related acts with plaintiff during a massage session at a Houston hotel in December 2020.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement after the new civil lawsuit was filed that Watson's status "remains unchanged" and the league "will monitor developments in the newly-filed litigation; and any conduct that warrants further investigation or possible additional sanctions would be addressed within the Personal Conduct Policy."

If Watson meets all the parameters for reinstatement, he will be eligible to return to practice with the Browns starting on Nov. 14. He could potentially make his first start of the season on Dec. 4 against the Texans.