Back in March 2021, Then-Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson found support from more than a dozen physical and massage therapists. Watson’s lawyer Rusty Hardin released testimonials from 18 women who said the claims against the NFL star “are wholly inconsistent with their experiences with him and who they believe him to be.” The women said in separate statements that they never experienced anything that’s being claimed in the various lawsuits.
Watson will now have to answer at least one question about those supportive women.
On Tuesday, a report emerged suggesting Watson will be forced to answer whether he had sexual relations with any of those women. According to a report from Brent Schrotenboer, Watson “will have to answer whether he had sex with 18 additional therapists who came to his defense about his massage habits last year.”
Via the report:
“As part of the pretrial discovery process in those lawsuits, their attorneys have sought to have Watson answer written “requests for admission” about whether he had sex with the 18 therapists who publicly supported him after the lawsuits against him started in March 2021.”
The NFL is still investigating the allegations from 22 women who claimed sexual misconduct by the former first-round pick.
Hardin stated last year that the women made their statements voluntarily, via Fox News:
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“I began providing massage therapy to Deshaun in 2018 and have massaged him at least 40 times since then. I worked with him once or twice a week during the season and as needed during the off season. Early on, he said he wanted me to focus on his hamstrings (he had a trainer that worked on his upper body) and just to work the lactic acid out of his legs,” Jas Brooks, a medical staff member for Team USA track and field team and a licensed massage therapist, said. “This included the groin, glutes and feet. He never asked me any questions and hardly ever spoke at all. In all that time, I never had a single uncomfortable or inappropriate experience with Deshaun.”
Kya Hillman, a retired disabled veteran, said she worked on Watson three times between October and December 2020.
“I worked with Deshaun to give him full body scrubs and body wraps. At no time did he act inappropriate with me. If he did, I would have talked with him and handled it with him,” she said in her statement.
After two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges, the Cleveland Browns traded for Watson and gave the star quarterback a $230 million guaranteed contract, the largest in NFL history.
