4-Down Territory: News of the day, June 22, 2022
What’s happening around the NFL today?
Well, what’s normally a slow news cycle has instead churned out two players leaving the Bucs and two guys dealing with sexual misconduct allegations. The latter I’m not so excited to write about, to say the least.
Check out the top NFL stories below.
Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski announces retirement
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Ya know, I was pumped for the Tom Brady retirement. Was happy for the guy. Called him the GOAT. Even got around to liking him a bit.
Then he pulled a Brett Favre. Came back. Another damn year of Brady.
But now I’m supposed to buy that Brady’s bestie is retiring even though Brady decided to come back for another year?
Nope.
I’m not falling for this one. Sorry, Gronk. You’re not fooling me this time. Even your agent doesn’t buy it. We’re onto ya, pal.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson settles 20 of 24 lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct
AP Photo/Ron Schwane
This situation is a mess, so we’ll stick to the facts.
Watson settled 20 of 24 lawsuits. That leaves four pending, with no sign of settlements anytime soon.
The easy speculation is that Watson did this to ease any disciplinary action from the NFL. However, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy says the settlements have “no impact on the collectively bargained disciplinary process.”
So how much discipline will Watson receive, if any?
It’s a multi-step process to figure that out. Then once a decision is made, an appeals process can, and likely will, happen.
Thus, the situation drags on further.
Details emerge regarding 2009 sexual assault allegation against Daniel Snyder
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
“According to new reporting from the Washington Post, owner Daniel Snyder was accused by an employee of the Washington NFL franchise in 2009 of sexual assault and harassment. The organization settled the matter months later for $1.6 million.
…According to a letter sent by an attorney for the team to the woman’s lawyer in 2009, the female employee ‘…accused Snyder of asking her for sex, groping her and attempting to remove her clothes.'”
Interesting timing, this news, considering NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is set to testify before Congress on June 22.
And we do know one thing: Snyder won’t be there.
Ndamukong Suh: 'It looks like the Bucs are out of the picture'
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
“Appearing on ESPN2’s “NFL Live” on Monday, Suh acknowledged that he appears to be moving on after three seasons in Tampa Bay (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).”
No Gronk, and now no Suh. The Bucs probably won’t lose much in 2022, but they certainly took a couple of Ls this week.
Suh may be 35, but he still has gas left in the tank. But where should he go? Maybe he’ll pull an Odell and sign with a needy team midseason. That seems to be the move these days.
1
1
