Twitter reacts to Deshaun Watson being suspended 11 games

NFL fans on Twitter react to the news that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will be suspended for 11 games in the 2022 season. 

After Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watston struggled in his preseason debut for the team, the Browns and Watson finally get an answer on just how long Watson will be suspended for the 2022 NFL season.

According to ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, a disciplinary notice sent out by the NFL indicates that Watson will be suspended for 11 games and face a fine of $5 million.

The notice also indicates that Watson “must commit to mandatory evaluation and treatment”, adding that “Watson will promptly undergo a professional evaluation by behavioral experts and will follow their treatment program.”

The NFL will also take Watson’s $5 million fine, with an additional $1 million each contributed by the NFL and the Browns, to create a $7 million fund to support non-profits dedicated to improving the lives of those affect by sexual misconduct and assault.

Twitter reacts to NFL Deshaun Watson suspension of 11 regular season games

FanSided’s Matt Verdarame pointed out that Watson’s return in Week 12 will be against none other than the Houston Texans.

NFL journalist Dov Kleiman compared Watson’s final suspension to the suspensions of other prominent NFL players, such as Calvin Ridley and Josh Gordon.

NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala noted that Watson recently told her that he had been undergoing counseling for months.

Even though the NFL and NFLPA went to Judge Sue Robinson to petition for a longer suspension — 11 games instead of the six games allotted in the initial suspension  — some believe that the NFL is still not being harsh enough.

After all, the nature of Deshaun Watson’s case, and the widespread harm it caused on so many different levels, isn’t something the league has dealt with before. Judge Robinson said in her initial ruling that “although this is the most significant punishment ever imposed on an NFL player for allegations of non-violent sexual conduct, Mr. Watson’s pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL.” Still, it’s a lot fewer than 76 games — or simply a permanent ban from the league.

NFL analyst Pat McAfee noted that because Watson is missing 11 games, he will miss 11 game checks that just so happen to total to $666,666.

Watson said he’s now “grateful” that he can move on with his career, but the increased suspension and the push by Watson, the Browns and the NFL to put this situation in the rearview mirror remains unsettling for many who believe that continuing to play professional football should no longer be an option for Deshaun Watson.

Watson’s messages continue to be contradictory, as he apologizes while pushing to maintain his innocence. Similarly, the NFL has openly struggled with how to properly address this situation, and an 11-game suspension is widely considered to be a slap on the wrist relative to what Watson has done.