With the recent Watson ruling as a six-game suspension, the NFL needs to begin rethinking its policy on players.
The NFL finally got a ruling on the Deshaun Watson dilemma, and it seems as though the Browns quarterback will serve a six-game suspension this season. After nearly two years and over twenty filed reports of misconduct, the ruling seemed to upset the majority of the NFL, and rightfully so.
While Watson was never formally charged, he was in the midst of settling most of the cases against him in a civil court.
These accusations were still at large when the NFL finally got its ruling, and unless anything monumental changes, Watson will be playing at some point this season.
All of this just seems wrong. I won’t delve too far into the details of his case, but 20 plus sexual misconduct cases is a horrible look for a person. Add in the fact that not only did Watson get traded for, but also signed a massive fully guaranteed contract and this situation looks even worse.
Watson will lose a little over $300,000 in salary this year despite signing a $230 million deal.
The NFL has a suspension problem
When you compare this to some of the other suspensions in the league right now, and the six games seem light for Watson. Calvin Ridley got suspended for the entire season after betting even though he wasn’t playing.
There have been countless suspensions, some even indefinite suspensions, for weed use.
To a degree, I get it. There is a precedent in place for those suspensions. Betting on the league has resulted in previous year-long bans while constant usage of weed has caused the same.
Meanwhile, sexual and physical abuse have been far less penalized. Ray Rice initially got two games despite there being a video of him beating his then-girlfriend.
Ben Roethlisberger got six games (initially) for a sexual assault civil court case.
The NFL needs to change its priorities and how it suspends its players. There is little reason that issues like Watson’s should be punished significantly less than some of the other infractions. Fans have a right to be upset. Be upset at the NFL, be upset at the ruling, and be upset at how the league has set a precedent for these rulings to be passed down.