Twenty-four women have sued Deshaun Watson accusing him of behaviors ranging from indecent exposure to sexual assault. Twenty of those cases have been settled out of court, but the woman who is suing the Texans is not among them, and her case against Watson remains active.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges that the Texans knew or should have known of Watson’s actions and that they provided him with resources to enable his behavior.
The lawsuit also states that the Texans provided Watson with rooms at a swanky downtown hotel called the Houstonian, massage tables, and a non-disclosure agreement form for massage therapists to sign.
The NDA, the lawsuit says, came after a massage therapist posted Watson’s photo on Instagram along with a message saying “I could really expose you.” The lawsuit also states that Watson engaged in sexual misconduct with that woman during a massage.
The woman in the lawsuit alleges that Watson contacted her on Instagram asking for a massage. She says she had two encounters with the quarterback. During the second massage, she says that Watson exposed himself to her before ejaculating on her body.
Watson has maintained his innocence throughout.
According to the lawsuit, the Texans were also informed that Watson was seeking out massages on Instagram because the company that provides massage services for the team, Genuine Touch, complained about the practice. The lawsuit also alleges that Genuine Touch informed the team that Watson had sexual relations with at least two of their massage therapists.
The woman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, says that he expects more lawsuits will be brought against the team soon.
The Texans released a statement, saying they are aware of the lawsuit and have “supported and complied” with law enforcement during their investigations. “We will continue to take the necessary steps to address the allegations against our organization,” the statement reads.
The NFL declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Watson has faced two grand juries, but neither decided to bring criminal charges against the former Pro-Bowler. Watson still faces the four civil lawsuits that were not settled, as well as possible discipline from the league.
ESPN reported late last week that Watson has a hearing with a disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association on Tuesday. Watson reportedly tried to settle with the NFL but an agreement could not be reached. ESPN also reported that during those meetings, the NFL was insistent that Watson be suspended for the entirety of the 2022/2023 season.
Watson previously stated that he has “no regrets” about how he behaved during any of the massage sessions.