Browns' Deshaun Watson denies new sexual assault allegations; Kevin Stefanski says quarterback will start Sunday against Jaguars

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Wednesday denied allegations in a new lawsuit filed this week that he committed sexual assault and battery during a date in 2020.

“Deshaun strongly denies the allegations in the Jane Doe lawsuit filed on Monday,” Watson's attorney Rusty Hardin said in a opinion on Wednesday. “We have asked him not to make any further comment while this matter is being heard in court, but we are confident that he will ultimately prevail. We will be prepared to defend this case in court in due course, but do not intend to hold our defense in the media.”

“We ask people to be patient while the legal process takes its course. In the meantime, Deshaun will focus his energy and concentration on football.”

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Watson will start Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, referring reporters to the team's statement on Tuesday that they would “respect the due process afforded by our legal system.”

Stefanski added that Watson's removal was not being considered and that he had not been aware of the new allegations.

“We're 100 percent focused on Jacksonville, 100 percent focused on playing on the road against a good football team and trying to find a way to get a win,” Stefanski said.

The new civil suit, filed Monday in Houston, alleges Watson exposed himself, demanded a massage and sexually assaulted the victim before she was able to fight back and get him to leave her apartment. Watson was with the Houston Texans at the time of the new allegations.

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the league is investigating the complaint against Watson and will not place him on the commissioner's exempt list because no criminal charges have been filed against him.

In August 2022, the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million for violating the NFL's code of conduct after more than 20 women accused Watson of sexual assault during massage therapy sessions.

Watson reached confidential settlements with 23 of the 24 women in 2022. He had previously denied any wrongdoing and claimed that any sex with the women was consensual. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson in 2022, despite 10 women filing criminal complaints.

The NFL required Watson to undergo a mandatory physical and treatment as part of his reinstatement.