Cleveland Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam has admitted that Deshaun Watson got a second chance after two dozen allegations of sexual misconduct because he is a star quarterback.
The billionaire NFL owner made his admission during a press conference on Thursday, where he said that the team would “absolutely” have made the same decision the NFL did on Watson’s penalties.
Sources revealed early on Thursday that the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to hand Watson an 11-game suspension and a fine of $5 million over accusations that he sexually assaulted two dozen women.
Later that afternoon, Haslam said that he believes in giving second chances while admitting that Watson’s stardom played a significant role in the decision, according to the New York Post.
“I think in this country, and hopefully in the world, people deserve second chances, OK. I really think that,” Haslam said. “I struggle a little bit. Is he never supposed to play again? Is he never supposed to be a part of society? Does he get no chance to rehabilitate himself? That’s what we’re gonna do, OK.
“You can say that’s because he’s a star quarterback. Well, of course,” Haslam said. “But if he was Joe Smith he wouldn’t be [in] the headlines every day. We think people deserve a second chance. We gave Kareem Hunt a second chance, and that’s worked out pretty well.”
Hunt, of course, was signed in 2019 after a domestic violence case that took place in 2018. He served an 8-game suspension over the violent incident and had been.
Watson hasn’t played since 2020 as the allegations hung over his head.
Not everyone is as pleased with the NFL’s decision over Watson. Social media erupted with accusations that the league doesn’t care about women at all, among other accusations.
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