The Deshaun Watson settlement shows the NFL has made progress with sexual misconduct accusations. Will anything change?

Deshaun Watson, a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, has been suspended for 11 games following allegations of sexual harassment or assault.

By Leah Asmelash, CNN

Updated 1208 GMT (2008 HKT) August 27, 2022

(CNN)Over a decade ago, Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a college student in Georgia — a case that sent shudders through the NFL world.

Roethlisberger, the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the time, was beloved by fans — having led the Steelers to two Super Bowl championships. Though Roethlisberger was never charged with any crimes, he was given a six-game suspension by the league for violating its personal conduct policy. (Roethlisberger's lawyer denied the sexual assault allegation, and the quarterback apologized in a statement to the team and fans for letting them down). Later, the suspension was reduced to four games for good behavior.«You have told me and the Steelers that you are committed to making better decisions,» NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to Roethlisberger at the time. «Your actions over the past several months have been consistent with that promise and you must continue to honor that commitment.»Roethlisberger's was the first case of alleged violence against women that sports reporter Melissa Jacobs, now managing editor of The Football Girl and a contributor to The Guardian, remembers hearing about as a reporter covering the league.The NFL, she said, seemed completely incompetent at the time. When the league reduced Roethlisberger's suspension, she was stunned.Read More«The NFL had no blueprint in place for how to handle this,» Jacobs told CNN. Once again, the league is under scrutiny for its handling of sexual misconduct accusations. This time,