Deshaun Watson Coincidence or Conspiracy? Browns Debut Comes vs. Texans After QB Suspension

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his anticipated debut against the Houston Texans on Dec. 4 following an 11-game suspension.

HOUSTON — In what even the least cynical observer must acknowledge, the way NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's Thursday morning arrangement that has Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson agreed to a settlement that will cause his debut to be here at NRG Stadium against his own Houston Texans team is ...

Quite a coincidence.

Or ...

Quite a conspiracy.

Watson has received an 11-game suspension and a $5 million fine for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after being accused of sexual assault by 24 massage therapists.

By accepting an increase punishment from his original six-game suspension handed down by judge Sue Robinson, Watson will make his Browns debut against the Texans on Dec. 4.

"Right now, that [game verses the Texans] is down the road," Watson told reporters in Cleveland. "Right now, I am getting ready to practice against Philadelphia while focusing on being the best individual and getting myself back in shape."

It is indeed "down the road.'' But the NFL does a good job of seeing "down the road.'' Maybe the 11 games is simply "justice,'' though there is a history of inconsistency when it comes to NFL rulings in that department. (See "Ezekiel Elliott vs. Deshaun Watson,'' here.)

Or maybe the NFL anticipates that the Texans, who went 4-12 during Watson's final campaign while playing in Houston and who were bad again last year while he sat in mothballs, will once again be a subpar team drawing too little interest.

A home game against the hottest name (good and bad) in Houston franchise history might make an otherwise uninteresting game "must-see TV,'' right?

Watson demanded a trade following the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio and former coach David Culley in January of 2021. On March 18, Watson waived his no-trade clause in favor of the Browns. Houston received a massive haul of draft picks in exchange for their former franchise quarterback. 

Watson played four seasons for the Texans before sitting out the entire 2021 campaign. Houston drafted Watson with the No. 12 pick in 2017. In 54 career games played, Watson threw for 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns while completing 67.8 percent of his pass attempts.

He now brings those talents to Cleveland ... and then in Week 11, to Houston.

Coincidentally.

Or conspiratorially.

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