A third woman has accused the Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of inappropriate behavior in a lawsuit.
The latest complaint was filed on Wednesday night and alleges Watson arranged for a massage at an office building in Houston in December 2020. It alleges that Watson turned over during the massage and “got more aggressive, forcefully telling [the woman] to move her hand down to his pubic area.” It is then claimed that Watson forced her to have oral sex something to which she “did not consent”.
Lawsuits were filed earlier in the week by two separate massage therapists alleging the 25-year-old acted inappropriately. The first suit alleges Watson touched the masseuse with his penis and “intentionally or knowingly caused physical contact with Plaintiff when Watson knew, or should have reasonably known, that Plaintiff would regard such contact as offensive” in March 2020.
On Tuesday night, before the lawsuits became public, Watson said in a statement posted to social media that: “I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect.” He also attacked what he called “a baseless six-figure settlement demand”.
On Wednesday, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, spoke to ESPN after the first two suits were filed. “I’m real comfortable with the kind of person that Deshaun Watson is, and I don’t like to publicly comment until I get all the facts,” Hardin said. Hardin added that “the allegations are really inconsistent with the kind of person he is.”
Houston attorney Tony Buzbee has filed the lawsuits against Watson and says there are six total cases against Watson, although only three suits have been filed so far.
Buzbee is believed to be a neighbor of Texans owner Cal McNair. Watson and the Texans are in the middle of an acrimonious offseason with the quarterback wanting to leave a team he believes has been mismanaged for a number of years.
On Wednesday, the Texans said they are aware of the allegations against Watson.
“We became aware of a civil lawsuit involving Deshaun Watson through a social media post last night,” the team said in a statement. “This is the first time we heard of the matter, and we hope to learn more soon. We take accusations of this nature that involve anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously. We will await further information before making any additional statements on this incident.”
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, signed a four-year, $156m deal with the Texans last year. Following the trade of All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins last spring and changes to the coaching staff and front office, Watson raised concerns about his lack of a voice in the franchise and is reportedly frustrated by the general direction of the team.
General manager Nick Caserio and head coach David Culley have said Watson won’t be traded.
Houston signed veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a one-year deal on Wednesday.