It looks like Browns QB Deshaun Watson is done discussing his sexual assault allegations. Probably forever

For some time now, some of the difficulty facing the Cleveland Browns’ future with Deshaun Watson has been as obvious as it is inconsistent.

He talks, things don’t work out.

Instead, it would become a different kind of showcase, showing Watson’s struggle to navigate unscripted questions about the sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him. He meandered and made contradictory statements about personal responsibility. Eventually, an unrelenting and lingering feeling would set in: Watson was creating more problems than resolutions seemingly every time he spoke into a microphone or camera.

At one point, he suggested a personal need to grow, learn, and show true character. In the next, he professed his innocence. The glue between the two? A rationalization that he said was a cleansing tonic for all those accusations.

He was raised by women. And he would never…

Living in Houston, where a number of Watson’s accusers have met him – and covering the NFL, where there is a vast lucrative infrastructure bent on both punishing and protecting him – the only thing I can say is next: Almost every moment Watson spoke prior to this week, tidal waves of emotion began slamming into each other. Washing away the alleged victims, the media covering him, the lawyers arguing his actions, Watson’s tight-knit camp thrashing furiously under it all, and, finally, the NFL organization and Browns, each just trying to stay on top of the game. ‘water.

It all unfolded this week, when Watson was scheduled to make his first media appearance since training camp. The underlying objective for the Browns and Watson was pretty clear. Whether the public is pleased or not, they are turning the page on the football part of Watson’s story in Cleveland. The only question was how to do this in the most concise way.

Thursday, we discovered it: it is enough to wall up everything except football. Block it and build an end to the story where there was supposed to be another beginning.

The story continues

That’s what happened this week for the first time since Watson arrived in Cleveland. Unlike previous meetings with the media, he declined to engage further on topics related to his civil lawsuit allegations. Currently, 24 lawsuits have been settled by Watson out of court. Two did not. But those last two are now the stopping point where Watson has established the barrier he apparently intends to use. By deliberation, due to this ongoing litigation, he will not speak about his past or current civil lawsuits or anything related thereto.

That means there are no questions related to his accusers, nothing about his 11-game personal conduct suspension, no elaboration of his league-mandated therapy as part of his reinstatement process. Nothing to do with the awkward return that awaits him in Houston on Sunday, when 10 of his accusers would watch the game from a sequel. All prohibited. And if there’s anything else that somehow deviates from the specifics of football and football only, it’s put on a raft and pushed out to sea, destination unknown and probably not done.

As Watson said when he kicked off Thursday’s press conference: “I understand that you have a lot of questions, but with my legal team and my clinical team, there are only football questions that I can really answer at the moment.”

The availability of media itself was unusual. It happened a day later than usual with quarterbacks in Cleveland, and reporters were asked to raise their hands and be called rather than verbally jousting to ask questions. Watson clearly knew his talking points about the “four food groups”: playing the Houston Texans, playing quarterback for the Browns, running the offense, not answering anything unrelated to football.

At one point, a reporter reminded Watson that last August he said there would be a day when he would tell “his side” of the story regarding the allegations against him. Asked about the date of that day, Watson gave a telling answer.

“Who knows what the future holds for us?” he said. “Right now, I’m locked in to be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.”

It is not difficult to interpret what this means in a larger context. First, he conveyed the message that Watson has likely already completed his last unscripted Q&A session with the media on the civil lawsuit. Second, he might never talk about it again, unless it’s to a hand-picked person or an opposing attorney in a courtroom. And finally, it all feels like it’s set up to be deported, potentially settled out of court with his final two lawsuits, and then capped off with a statement that he’s moving on with his life and football career.

This often happens in sports. It’s the other playbook, mastered using time and distance and imbuing everything else in the football narrative. I’m not saying it’s good. I say it’s something we’ve all seen before, something we’ve criticized before, and something that continues to be smart in the NFL.

For some – perhaps most – this outcome with Watson will be unsatisfying and disgusting. For others closer to the quarterback, it will be a relief. For his accusers, it will be empty. Unfortunately for everyone, this should be clarified. There will be no satisfactory resolution here to cover anyone. There never would have been.

On Sunday, Watson will step onto a pitch again and begin to return to football. Much like the questions he entertains now, it only goes one way.

“Just get to the games” is not just a statement. It’s an NFL train that’s consistent, unashamed and relentless. The Browns embark with Watson this weekend. It’s now up to you to decide if you embark on the journey.