Time for Cleveland Browns owners to speak up, be accountable on Deshaun Watson | Opinion

BEREA, Ohio – It is time Browns ownership shared the burden.

It is time for Jimmy and Dee Haslam to address the civil lawsuits facing quarterback Deshaun Watson and take some of that responsibility off coach Kevin Stefanski.

As the count of cases filed against Watson continues to mount, the black eye the franchise is sporting grows darker by the day. Yet the Haslams remain out of the spotlight.

They spoke on Zoom March 25 following Watson’s introductory news conference, then met with the Beacon Journal and a few Cleveland outlets the following week during the NFL owners meetings at The Breakers Palm Beach.

MORE: Houston Texans to be added to Deshaun Watson lawsuits, attorney says

Since then, the Watson situation has become more tenuous. The possibility that the NFL will suspend him remains as 24 women have filed civil suits accusing Watson of sexual misconduct during massage appointments.

When the Browns traded for the Houston Texans’ Watson on March 18 after a second Texas grand jury failed to indict him on criminal charges, Watson faced 22 civil suits. Investigations continue to unearth more disturbing details.

The latest came Tuesday, when a New York Times report by Jenny Vrentas said Watson saw 66 different women for massages over a span of 17 months. Vrentas’ piece included that the Texans obtained hotel rooms Watson sometimes used for the appointments and that a staff member provided him with a non-disclosure agreement form Watson used. On Wednesday evening, Tony Buzbee, attorney for the 24 women, issued a statement that he will be adding the Texans as defendants in many of the civil suits.

Yet Stefanski continues to be the only one stepping in front of the microphones.

Every time he’s spoken in the past two weeks, it has come on the heels of more Watson news.

At the first open session of organized team activities on May 25, a segment on Watson’s legal woes on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” which included on-camera interviews with two of his accusers, had aired the night before.

The Browns’ June 1 OTA availability came after lawsuit No. 23 had been filed on May 31.

The impending filing of the 24th civil suit was circulating during Monday’s 22nd annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club, and official word came during Stefanski’s interview.

On Wednesday at the Browns’ CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Stefanski fended off questions about the New York Times piece and whether the Browns knew about the circumstances detailed in the 24th lawsuit when they traded for Watson.

Stefanski talked for over 10 minutes and 12 of the 24 questions involved Watson, including queries about his character, standing with the Browns and the status of the league’s investigation. Another involved the Browns’ experience dealing with adversity during two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether backup Jacoby Brissett is getting enough practice reps with Watson’s status for the regular season uncertain.

Stefanski calmly answered all of them, many with a similar reply.

“I understand the question. I think for me, I am going to be respectful of the investigation, of the legal proceedings and I am going to let that play out,” he said.

With no end in sight to the Watson saga and an agreement in place that there will be no legal proceedings between Aug. 1 and March 1, Stefanski was asked if he was frustrated by the repeated questions.

“I would not characterize it that way,” Stefanski said. “I do understand that you have a job to do, so I am just going to provide as much information as I can, when I can.”

That’s not to say that Stefanski is blameless in the Browns bringing in Watson and giving him a record-setting $230 million guaranteed contract with such baggage attached. Watson didn’t play in 2021 as he sought a trade and the Miami Dolphins backed out if their pursuit when Watson’s attorneys couldn’t reach settlements in all 22 of the civil cases by the league deadline.

Stefanski was part of the group, along with the Haslams and general manager Andrew Berry, that approved the Watson deal.

The Haslams aren’t the only ones who have remained silent.

Watson hasn’t spoken since his introduction on March 25. He presented linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. a boxed Rolex on May 25 for giving him his No. 4, interrupting Walker’s news conference and causing an awkward scene in a blatant public relations stunt.

Berry last talked on April 30 during the NFL Draft wrap-up with Stefanski and Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta.

Much has changed since then. Buzbee's plan to include the Texans in some of the suits adds to the enormity of the situation Watson and the Browns face.

Stefanski will direct the Browns during their full-squad minicamp Tuesday through Thursday when all – save for excused quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is awaiting a trade – are required to be present. Will Stefanski again infairly be forced to handle it all alone?

As the Browns’ world turns on a seemingly shaky axis, the organization needs another voice on Watson, another calming presence. Fans need an assurance that the Browns will do everything to maximize their Super Bowl window of opportunity with Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Joel Bitonio and Denzel Ward in the prime of their careers, no matter what happens with Watson.

Presuming the Haslams are capable of at least such an assurance, that voice should be theirs.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns owners need to speak up on Deshaun Watson