My friend and I were talking about the NFL suspended Watson recently when the name came up. At first, I didn’t know what had happened. But he told me the story and it really hit close to home.
For one, I’m a huge football fan and a dedicated Watson supporter. I mean, I know he’s had a few questionable incidents in the past, but who hasn’t? It’s so hard to watch your favorite athlete getting penalized in some way by the governing sports body.
But then, to learn that the suspension was for an incident reported last year involving a female massage therapist just put me over the edge. I was furious. Here’s this man who has always been a role model and a leader, who was out working hard and giving back to the community, exhibiting exemplary behavior, and yet he’s being punished for such an alleged incident?
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the NFL has to remain impartial in these matters, but it seems so unfair. I mean, you hear of some athletes being suspended for just a few games and here Watson is for a full season. The guy didn’t even get the chance to prove his innocence.
I’m not sure what his lawyers are doing, but I feel like this is a case of the media and the NFL flexing their muscles and trying to make an example of him. This kind of thing can be really damaging to an athlete’s career, and it also sets a dangerous precedent for future cases.
Then, on top of that, you get the additional old media circus that follows these kinds of events. The endless articles and tweets which seem to make up some kind of twisted reality for the public to digest, all to the detriment of the accused. It’s heartbreaking.
Clearly, this situation has been handled very poorly by everyone involved, and I think the NFL owe Watson an apology. As a fan, all I can do is hope and pray that this suspension won’t affect Watson in any negative way and that he can come back and perform as well as ever in the future.