NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says Deshaun Watson's behavior was 'egregious' and 'predatory'

By Kevin Dotson, CNN

Updated 2315 GMT (0715 HKT) August 9, 2022

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, seen here at the NFL draft in April.

(CNN)NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that the league feels Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson should face harsher punishment for his «egregious» and «predatory» behavior.

At an owners meeting in Minneapolis, Goodell spoke about the NFL's appeal of the suspension given to Watson last week by former federal judge Sue L. Robinson, the independent disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association to rule on the matter. Robinson issued a six-game suspension for Watson. The NFL had been seeking at least a full-season suspension. Goodell selected former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to hear the NFL's appeal. When asked why the league continues to seek a harsher punishment for Watson, Goodell said, «Because we've seen the evidence. (Robinson) was very clear about the evidence, she reinforced the evidence that there was multiple violations here and they were egregious and it was predatory behavior.»«Those are things that we always felt were really important for us to address in a way that's responsible,» Goodell continued.Read MoreNFL, wanting a harsher penalty, says it will appeal Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's 6-game suspensionRobinson ruled Watson violated the NFL's personal conduct policy in private meetings with massage therapists while he was with the Houston Texans.The former judge issued a 16-page ruling saying no NFL player accused of non-violent sexual misconduct, as Watson has been, has received a suspension longer than six games.«While it may be entirely appropriate to more severely discipline players for