DeShaun Watson’s final two sexual misconduct allegations have now been settled, clearing the quarterback to return to the Cleveland Browns in 2026.
Nearly five years after he initially came under fire with 27 different women filing civil lawsuits against him, Watson is now officially past the whole ordeal. The final two outstanding cases against Watson were dismissed, according to a TMZ report.
Lawyer Tony Buzbee, who represented 26 of the 27 women taking Watson to court, told TMZ that his clients “settled” with terms that were “confidential.”
Although Watson was not punished criminally for the accusations, he was suspended for 11 games during the 2022 season. He was also fined $5 million by the NFL and required to undergo a mandatory evaluation by behavioral experts.
However, Watson’s true punishment was the downfall of his career, which never recovered after the reported allegations. The civil cases cost Watson nearly two full seasons in the prime of his career, as the Houston Texans sat him for the entire 2021 season while the allegations piled up.
The Browns took a leap on Watson ahead of the 2022 season, but he had become a shell of himself by that point. Watson has not surpassed 1,148 passing yards and seven touchdowns in any of his three seasons with Cleveland, despite still being just 30 years old and joining the team as an MVP candidate in Houston.
DeShaun Watson to return to Browns in 2026
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
After missing the entire 2025 season due to a torn Achilles tendon, nothing stands in Watson’s way from returning to the Browns in 2026.
Watson is expected to still be on the Browns’ roster in the fall, but he will return to a completely different team than the one he left behind. Cleveland will begin a new era in 2026 with first-year head coach Todd Monken replacing Kevin Stefanski.
Watson left the team as its starting quarterback, but his role will also be uncertain upon his return. Cleveland turned to rookie Shedeur Sanders late in the 2025 season, who led them to three of their five wins over the final seven weeks and ended the year as a Pro Bowl replacement. Sanders took the job from fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who also figures to be an obstacle to Watson’s path back to the field.
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