Browns' Watson apologizes 'to all the women I have impacted' for alleged sexual misconduct

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson apologized Friday "to all the women I have impacted" after being accused by two dozen women of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.

Watson, who is facing a potential year-long NFL suspension, spoke before Cleveland's exhibition opener in Jacksonville — his first game since Jan. 3, 2021, with the Houston Texans.

Watson was suspended six games earlier this month by independent arbiter Sue L. Robinson, who concluded he violated the league's personal conduct policy with "egregious" and "predatory" behaviour.

Watson was asked in a pregame interview with the team's in-house TV crew Friday for his response to Robinson's position that he hasn't been contrite.

"Look, I want to say that I'm truly sorry to all of the women that I have impacted in this situation," Watson said in the interview. "The decisions that I made in my life that put me in this position I would definitely like to have back, but I want to continue to move forward and grow and learn and show that I am a true person of character and I am going to keep pushing forward."

Deshaun spoke with Aditi Kinkhabwala ahead of starting tonight's game in Jacksonville. <a href="https://t.co/9kuHxI9ULh">pic.twitter.com/9kuHxI9ULh</a>

This is the first time Watson has publicly apologized for his alleged behaviour. In his two media interviews since joining the Browns in March, he had said only that he had "no regrets" while acknowledging his actions had negatively impacted "so many people."

Watson was accused of sexually harassing or assaulting the women during the therapy sessions in 2020 and 2021. He has always denied wrongdoing and grand juries in two Texas counties declined to indict him on criminal complaints.

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