Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing the 22 women suing Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson, said that settlement talks between the two sides broke down recently because of language Watson’s legal team insisted they include in nondisclosure agreements.
“In what was submitted to us, there were nondisclosure agreements and many of the women pushed back on those,” Buzbee said.
The NFL is investigating Watson’s conduct, as are local police. There is also an open grand jury probe into criminal misconduct.
Watson was not traded ahead of the NFL’s deadline earlier this week, despite countless rumors about a possible deal. According to NFL Network, Watson’s failure on settling his legal situation resulted in him not getting traded.
“Whether he’s in Miami or Houston or wherever he goes, it doesn’t change our case,” Buzbee said. “Bottom line was, apparently, at some point the Miami Dolphins wanted 22 settlements. I made it clear, after talking to my clients, that that wasn’t gonna happen and then they lowered that number. I made that clear that wasn’t gonna happen. Watson’s team was trying to sell the Dolphins on some lower number and I think that never came to pass.”
“Everyone was different, but there was some insistence on a non-disclosure agreement,” he added.
Buzbee added that “there was an insistence of a very, very robust non-disclosure agreement” and that for some of the women it was the “deal-breaker.”
The Texans have not played Watson this season and do not plan to play him. He is facing 22 civil lawsuits and at least 10 criminal complaints alleging sexual assault or sexual misconduct during sessions with various massage therapists.
Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, has long publicly denied wrongdoing by Watson. In July, he stated that Watson would not sign any settlement that included a confidentiality agreement. “I do not want anybody to be saying that this guy paid off women to stay quiet,” he said then.
