Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns listens to questions during a press conference prior to a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 18, 2022 in Berea, Ohio.
Nick Cammett/Getty ImagesAs Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson stepped to the podium on Thursday, he quickly made one thing clear: he wasn't going to address the giant elephant in the room.
Watson is set to return from an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy—a punishment that stemmed from lawsuits from more than two dozen women alleging sexual misconduct—in Houston on Sunday against his old team. The former Texans star made an opening statement to the media on Thursday, during which he said, "I understand that you guys have a lot of questions, but with my legal team and political team, there's only football questions that I can really address at this time."
Despite Watson's insistence to keep the focus on the football field, questions still came in related to the more serious matters at hand. A total of 26 women filed lawsuits against Watson for alleged incidents that occurred during his time in Houston, with the latest coming to light in October. Twenty-three of these lawsuits have been settled, while another was dropped.
The first question on Thursday regarded the counseling and therapy he was required to undergo as part of his agreement with the league, as well as what he learned about himself during that time. Watson side-stepped in his response: "I respect your questions, and I understand, but that's more in that phase of political and legal stuff," he said. "I've been advised to stay away from that and keep that personal."
Watson was later approached about fans who do not believe he should be the face of an NFL franchise, to which he responded by saying he's "focusing on football. That's my main focus—football and preparing to be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, so I can execute the game plan and try to get a win this Sunday." When asked if he will ever take non-football questions down the line, Watson again kept to a common theme.
"Like I said, at this time, I can't address any of that stuff," he said. "Who knows what the future holds? But right now, I'm so locked in on being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns."
Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans looks to pass during an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans on January 03, 2021 in Houston.
Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesWatson did provide a little more depth at other moments during the press conference.
The three-time Pro Bowler noted that there wasn't any particular significance placed on being able to return against Houston, and that the nature of how his suspension and settlement with the NFL played out was handled mostly his agency and legal team. "I was just doing whatever I could to play football in 2022," he said.
Despite how his time in Houston ended—he requested a trade following the 2020 season, with the first of the lawsuits emerging shortly thereafter—Watson expressed appreciation for the city, as well as the franchise, when discussing his return to NRG Stadium.
"I'm just excited to play football in general—in front of Cleveland Browns fans, but also in front of some of the Houston Texans fans. I respect the whole organization of the Houston Texans," Watson said. "I respect them and their family. I respect everyone that was there that drafted me in 2017. It's been great memories, fun memories. I still have a home in Houston, I still have friends and family that's still in Houston, relationships that are still there.
"Some of the players on the team I played with I've seen come up from maybe the practice squad or from injuries, so I'm excited to get in front of all those fans. I have so much love for the city of Houston and H-town, and everyone in that city pretty much knows that. So I'm excited to do that, but the most important thing is I'm excited to be in front of the Cleveland Browns fans."