NFL News

[TheLondonLion]

This dude has some deeper issues. He’s one of the best players in the game and he’s forcing insta masseuses into rub and tugs?

He’s in serious trouble. Even the NFL can’t easily sweep this under the rug. There’s just too many complaints. Only my cynicism that he’s so talented that somehow he’s given another chance stops me from thinking he’ll never play another down in the NFL again.

[jaadam4]

He’s in serious trouble. Even the NFL can’t easily sweep this under the rug. There’s just too many complaints. Only my cynicism that he’s so talented that somehow he’s given another chance stops me from thinking he’ll never play another down in the NFL again.

The Texans have to be the dumbest organization in the NFL right now. They’re so screwed

[Futureshock]

This dude has some deeper issues. He’s one of the best players in the game and he’s forcing insta masseuses into rub and tugs?

I hate to jump to conclusions but, yeah, wtf? My guess is that he as some sexual need, mentally, for this whole setup. The naughty masseuse that turns into a sex thing.

It's too bad. The kid showed a lot of promise.

The chicks he would naturally get for being a NFL QB would be enough for most of us.

Oh well

[Futureshock]

Nike suspends endorsement deal with Deshaun Watson

Posted by Mike Florio on April 7, 2021, 9:31 AM EDT

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Tuesday’s press conference caused many to view the ongoing controversy involving Deshaun Watson differently. Among the many now viewing the situation differently, apparently, is Nike.

Via CNBC.com, the sports apparel giant has suspended its endorsement deal with Watson.

“We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson. We will continue to closely monitor the situation,” Nike said in a statement.

The move comes a day after two of Watson’s 22 accusers in civil court have revealed their names. One of them, Ashley Solis, appeared and spoke at Tuesday’s press conference.

After three weeks of attorney Tony Buzbee serving as the face and voice of the claims against Watson, things have changed dramatically, now that Solis has made her identity known and humanized the allegations against Watson.

The efforts of his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, to suggest that Solis is lying when she says she’s not doing it “just for money” didn’t help Watson’s cause. The emails released by Hardin reveal normal, usual, pre-litigation settlement discussions, which Watson’s camp entertained and in which they engaged. With the opportunity to resolve the matter without the filing of a lawsuit rejected, Watson necessarily forced Solis to pursue justice another way. And she is.

As we’re seeing, her pursuit of justice will have a wide array of potential and actual consequences for Watson.

[Futureshock]

Dude could go from being a $50 mil/yr to being in the clink.

Tony Buzbee hints at potential federal law violations by Deshaun Watson

Posted by Mike Florio on April 7, 2021, 6:33 AM EDT

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The potential criminal case against Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has begun with the Houston Police Department hearing from at least two persons who claim assault. The attorney representing those women and all others in the 22 civil actions pending against Watson apparently wants to get the attention of the federal authorities.

Buzbee emphasized during Tuesday’s press conference that one of the persons was flown by Watson from Georgia to Texas.

“Deshaun Watson reaches out to a woman in Atlanta, Georgia, while he’s in Houston,” Buzbee said. “Hear what I’m saying. He reaches out to a woman via direct message on Instagram who’s located in Atlanta, Georgia. He does this while he’s in Houston. He asks her for a massage. He tells her he’ll fly her in. He buys her a plane ticket. He arranges for her Uber from the airport. He Ubers her to the Houstonian.”

The final question of the press conference asked Buzbee whether there was significance to the fact that Watson brought in women from other states for the purposes of allegedly engaging in sexual activities.

“That’s a question you should ask somebody else,” Buzbee said.

Buzbee said that, of his 22 clients, two came from Georgia, one from California, and one from Houston.

It’s possible that these allegations will attract the attention of federal authorities as to the question of whether sex trafficking laws were violated by Watson. That question emerged briefly in connection with the Vikings’ Love Boat scandal in 2005, when some members of the team flew in women from other states who engaged in sexual activities on a boat that some players rented or a bye-week excursion on Lake Minnetonka. No prosecution ever occurred.

For Watson, it’s another potential device available under the law, if the relevant authorities decide to investigate and/or prosecute.

[Futureshock]

Tom Brady: I was always motivated by people doubting me, and I still feel that way

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 7, 2021, 5:17 AM EDT

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After seven Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady doesn’t have many doubters left. But he finds motivation in believing he’s been doubted.

Brady told Michael Strahan that a big part of his motivation in his first season with the Buccaneers was believing that people had given up on him and thought he should retire.

“I was always kind of motivated by people that say ‘you can’t do it, you’re not good enough, you’re not fast enough, not big enough, don’t have a good enough arm,’” Brady said. “I’ve had a body of work over a period of time, so you know, you just say, hey, quickly you forget. I think that’s a great part about football. It’s not really about what you did last year, it’s kind of what you’re going to do this year, so for me it was what I was going to do for the Bucs last year. I still feel that way.”

Brady has famously memorized the names of the six quarterbacks selected before him in the 2000 NFL draft, so using doubts as motivation has been with him as long as he’s been in the NFL. And he’s surely heading into the 2021 season convinced that everyone doubts he can win Super Bowl No. 8.

[Futureshock]

Stefon Diggs assures fans who bought his jersey that he won’t change his number

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 6, 2021, 5:55 PM EDT

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With the NFL considering a rule change that would allow wide receivers to wear single-digit numbers, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs mused about the possibility on Twitter.

Diggs has worn No. 14 throughout his NFL career, but he wore No. 1 both in high school and in college. Diggs had a tweet this week that seemed to be hinting at a number change, but then he followed it up by assuring any fan who owns his jersey that the jersey won’t become obsolete.

“After some thought,” Diggs wrote, “I can’t change my number all the people that spent their hard earned money supporting the 14 I gotta keep it.”

Several NFL players have indicated that they’re interested in changing their numbers if the NFL allows it, but fans who own their jerseys may not be too happy about it. Diggs was wise to keep those fans in mind.

[Futureshock]

Ron Rivera supports NFL adopting a booth umpire

Posted by Myles Simmons on April 6, 2021, 5:52 PM EDT

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As the NFL gets set to vote on potential rule changes for the 2021 season, there are two proposals for a booth umpire.

The Ravens set forth a proposal that would add an eighth member of the officiating crew based in the replay booth who would assist the seven on-field officials based on the available camera angles. The Competition Committee has proposed a watered-down version, that would simply expand the duties of the replay official.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Washington head coach Ron Rivera was asked if he supports the idea of a sky judge. Eisen did not specify a proposal when raising the question, but Rivera was clear that he’s in favor of some sort of change.

“I think whatever we can do to help and make sure we get it right, I think that’s important,” Rivera said. “And there’s still a lot of things that have to be worked out, and I know those will be things that will be discussed as we start having our meetings in the next couple of weeks as far as deciding whether or not that’s something we do on a permanent basis or for a trial basis.

“But I do like the idea of doing what we can to make sure we get it right, because it’s important. These games are important. It’s not like baseball or basketball where you have a number of games — we have a limited number. We now have 17 that you have to play and you want to win as many of those as you can. I think it’s important that you get them right. And if this helps us, then great.”

After the controversial non-call of defensive pass interference in the 2018 NFC Championship game — plus the continued rise of sports betting — it seems like it’s only a matter of time before the NFL adds a booth umpire like the Ravens proposed to ensure calls are right. But at least for now, the league could still adopt the Competition Committee’s proposal to improve the process.

[Futureshock]

Alex Cappa earns most in performance-based pay for 2020

Posted by Charean Williams on April 6, 2021, 3:19 PM EDT

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The NFL Players Association on Tuesday sent agents the numbers on performance-based pay for the 2020 season.

Buccaneers guard Alex Cappa earned a league-high $622,056 in extra pay after starting 16 games for the Super Bowl champions, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. The money is a reward to low-earning players who start a lot of games and play a lot of snaps.

Payouts will be deferred to 2024 or later, as agreed upon during last year’s CBA negotiations amid a salary-cap shortfall, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.

Cappa earned $750,000 in base pay in 2020 but played all 1,070 offensive snaps in the regular season.

The other top earners in performance-based pay for 2020, per Volin, are:

Cardinals OL Kelvin Beachum, $604,185

Bills CB Taron Johnson, $578,749

Rams OL Austin Corbett $572,736

Lions CB Amani Oruwariye $572,067

Bears OL Germain Ifedi $570,571

Steelers OL Chukwuma Okorafor $567,469

Vikings OL Dakota Dozier $561,951

Patriots OL Mike Onwenu $554,792

[Futureshock]

Bengals cut Giovani Bernard

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 7, 2021, 9:50 AM EDT

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Veteran running back Giovani Bernard will hit free agency.

The Bengals announced today that they have released Bernard.

The move was no surprise, as Cincinnati had been looking to trade Bernard but not finding any takers.

Cutting Bernard will save the Bengals more than $4 million against this year’s cap. The Bengals are in good cap shape, but given that starting running back Joe Mixon has a cap number of more than $8.1 million, keeping Bernard at a price tag of more than $4 million would have been too much to commit at running back.

With Mixon injured for most of the 2020 season, Bernard played all 16 games and started 10 of them last year, but he had a fairly disappointing season running the ball, gaining just 416 yards on 124 carries. However, he did add 47 catches for 355 yards, and a team looking for a running back who can provide a receiving threat may be interested.

[Tom]

Watson should have just hired a prostitute and role played with her.

[Passepartout]

Watson is looking at a possible suspension on it. But also the criminal case!

[Futureshock]

Watson should have just hired a prostitute and role played with her.

Maybe he has that thing like my sister-in-law (bless her soul) had a gay friend that liked to dress as a female and seduce straight guys. Part of the attraction for him may be that it is forbidden.

SMH

[edindetroit]

That happened to a guy I worked with. He said he beat the crap out of the cross dresser after they started getting hot and heavy and he got a handful of something he wasn't expecting.

[Futureshock]

Holly balls of fire Batman!