30 women settle claims against Texans related to Watson

HOUSTON – Thirty women who accused the Houston Texans of turning a blind eye to allegations that Deshaun Watson sexually assaulted and harassed women during massage sessions have settled their legal claims against the team, their lawyer.

The terms of the settlements reached between each of the women and the Texans are confidential, attorney Tony Busby said.

While only one of the women filed a lawsuit against the team, the others also intended to file lawsuits against the Texans before settlements were reached, Buzby said.

In a statement, Texans owners Janice McNair and Hannah and Cal McNair said that while the team was unaware of Watson’s alleged misconduct, they were “shocked and deeply saddened” when they first learned of the allegations and decided to settle the claims against the company. the team is “friendly”.

“This is not an admission of any wrongdoing, but a clear stance against any form of sexual violence and misconduct. We hope today’s resolution brings some closure to the parties, our fans and the Houston community as a whole. As an organization, we will now turn our attention to the future and do everything we can to ensure respect for all,” the McNairs said in a statement.

Advertising

In separate lawsuits, 24 women accused Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will during massages while he played for the Texans. One woman alleged that Watson forced her to perform oral sex. Buzbee announced last month that 20 of those 24 lawsuits had been settled.

Watson, who has since been traded to the Cleveland Browns, has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to clear his name. Watson faces possible discipline from the NFL for the allegations.

___

AP sports writer Christy Ricken in Houston contributed to this report.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70

___

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL