Did Deshaun Watson get a harsh enough punishment?

Judge Sue Robinson gave Deshaun Watson a six-game suspension, but did the Cleveland Browns quarterback get a harsh enough punishment?

The reasoning behind the judgment is starting to come through now that the decision has been made. Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was given a six-game ban by Judge Sue Robinson for violation of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

Robinson’s report has brought a few glaring issues to light including the fact that the NFL continues to struggle when it comes to administering punishment for off-field concerns. Robinson stated that she believes the league is continuing to respond to “public outcry” and attempting a “dramatic shift” in their culture without fair notice.

While she also said the league was inconsistent, she added that Watson’s actions were more egregious than any other case the NFL has reviewed under this policy.

Most alarming might be where Robinson said that Watson posed a “genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person.”

Did Deshaun Watson receive a harsh enough suspension?

It seems the more that comes out about this case, the more confusing it all gets. Watson was originally accused of violations against 24 women but the league reportedly only brought half of those before Judge Robinson.

From there, they were focused primarily on five and Robinson then zeroed in on four of them. She then served a suspension that was closer to what Watson’s side was willing to take in a settlement but made sure to let the league know they didn’t handle things in a consistent manner while also pointing out that Watson clearly was acting inappropriately with massage therapists.

For years, this has been a problem for the league. They’ve botched several high-profile issues including the Ray Rice ordeal as well as John Brown’s accusations of assault which occurred right under the league’s eye at the Pro Bowl.

The league continues to say they care about such concerns but have handed down more severe punishments to players such as Calvin Ridley (gambling), Randy Gregory (marijuana), and Josh Gordon (marijuana). They also gave Tom Brady as long of a suspension for playing with a flat ball.

So from the outside, it looks as though Watson wasn’t hit as hard as he should have been. But when you look at the way the league has handled punishments in the past, this is their own fault. They’ve turned a blind eye too many times and haven’t addressed important topics such as sexual violations in their policies.

That’s why they were unable to just slam Watson the way they wanted to. Going forward, they need to get this fixed. And if they do, then at least one good thing can come from this as they might be forced to finally prove they care about positive change, and not just saving face.