Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson issues apology for sexual misconduct allegations

“I’m truly sorry to all the women I’ve impacted in this situation,” he said.

Watson’s remarks—while not specific—represent a change in course and tone. Until now, Watson had adamantly denied wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.

Watson received a six-game suspension from a neutral arbitrator for violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, but the precise length of that ban is likely to change imminently. The league appealed the suspension, and under the collective bargaining agreement the appeal goes to someone commissioner Roger Goodell hand-picked. The NFL had originally sought an indefinite suspension that would last no shorter than one season.

The effect of Watson’s apology, which did not get into details about his alleged misconduct, remains to be determined. The arbitrator who rendered his initial suspension, former U.S. district court judge Sue Robinson, specifically cited his lack of remorse in her decision as an “aggravating factor.”

It isn’t immediately clear whether this will play into the impending ruling from the appeals officer, former New Jersey attorney general Peter Harvey. Watson’s pivot might also play into whether there is a hope for a last-gasp settlement before Harvey’s decision, which is expected to land soon.

Watson’s comments, aired through a brief interview on Browns media channels, were released shortly before his debut with Cleveland in the team’s first pre-season game. In the wake of the allegations last year, and Watson’s own trade demand, the embattled quarterback sat out all of last season with the Houston Texans, who later traded him to Cleveland.

When the Browns acquired Watson in one of the biggest trades in league history—the team not only gave up three first-round picks but also gave him a five-year, $230-million contract—he did not apologise or say he did anything wrong during his introductory press conference. He said he wanted to “show people who I really am and get my story out eventually.”

“I have never assaulted, disrespected or harassed any woman in my life,” he said in March.

In the brief interview released Friday evening, Watson did not get into specifics about what he was apologising for. He also acknowledged that he isn’t sure the next time he will be able to get out onto the field.

“The decisions that I’ve made in my life that put me in this position, I would definitely like to have back,” he said.

He said he has work to do both on and off the field, and that the “biggest” thing is that he continues counselling so that he can grow as a person.

Watson has settled more than 20 of the civil lawsuits filed against him in recent weeks, according to Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the plaintiffs. Two Texas grand juries also opted not to bring charges against him earlier this year.

In a statement, Buzbee encouraged Watson to apologise to the one woman he represents who still has an outstanding case against him.

“To the one woman who still has an open case, and he knows exactly who she is, if he wants to apologise, he should do so—to her,” Buzbee said. “I can arrange that for him. Otherwise I’ll let your readers decide if what he has said is an appropriate apology.”

-The Wall Street Journal