Intended or not, the two-year MLB elimination of former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is now over the NFL and Deshon Watson.
While the standards of conduct and guidelines for sanctioning one league have nothing to do with the other, both are related to the court of public opinion, especially when it comes to the behavior of each league with Bauer and Watson. They are two of the most famous athletes in American sports, who have recently faced alarming accusations of violence and misconduct against women.
So far, the NFL’s attitude to Watson’s accusations has alternated between opaque and curious, now lasting five weeks after separate grand jury proceedings against the quarterback, wrapped in Texas without charges. It was initially expected that the completion of Watson’s criminal case would boost the investigation into the league’s personal behavior. However, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league’s investigators were still working and had no “schedule” for a conclusion.
In the absence of that timeline, MLB has already provided a template for the NFL to consider, suspending Bauer for two years after numerous women accused of violence against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher. The decision came after MLB allowed Bauer to complete a five-month police investigation in February, which led to no charges against him. Approximately 10 weeks later, MLB completed its own investigation into Bauer’s behavior and imposed a halt that resonated in the sports world last week.
Nowhere outside of baseball have these echoes resonated more strongly than the NFL’s office, which is preparing a Watson investigation that could last until 2023. Watson is currently facing 22 civil cases on a number of sexual misconduct or sexual assault charges. . Watson has already begun testifying in the cases, and NFL investigators can obtain them, as they are not currently sealed by presiding judges.
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While Bauer and Watson’s investigations are not necessarily apples for apples, both require convictions in the absence of criminal charges. Unlike Watson, Bauer did not face civil cases stemming from the charges against him – meaning he also did not sit for testimony that could provide additional information to investigators. This probably led to MLB making a quicker decision with Bauer status than the NFL could make with Watson.
Prior to Trevor Bauer’s removal, the MLB did not actually have a measuring stick for the NFL and Deshon Watson, who will not face criminal charges for sexual misconduct. Now there is. (Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)
Leaving aside the timeline, the NFL must now fight MLB, setting a significant example of stopping behavior that is not charged with a criminal offense. Baseball has made it clear that the decision was made based on his own investigation and interviews with women who have made accusations against Bauer.
This is essentially the same space that the NFL occupies with Watson. The league has already conducted interviews with a number of women who have filed civil lawsuits against him, and there are testimonies and findings from civil proceedings that MLB did not make, which may help with any decision that ultimately comes. In theory, the NFL should have more information than baseball ever did with Bauer.
This will put some pressure on the NFL from an optical point of view. While an independent arbitrator will decide whether or not Watson committed a personal misconduct, Goodell and the league still monitor the duration of each subsequent removal. So it’s not as simple as stopping six games according to NFL guidelines for violence against women, although it will probably lead to a battle with the NFL Players’ Association.
In the court of public opinion, this not only opposes Goodell v. Watson in terms of a statement or example of personal conduct. This also pitted him against MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Bauer’s decision. If an arbitrator finds that Watson’s personal conduct has been violated, Goodell may simply issue a six-game suspension and identify it as a first-time violation of the domestic violence league’s policy. On the other hand, he could consider each of the 22 civil complaints against Watson and determine whether each should be considered a violation of his own, opening up the possibility of a much longer suspension due to additional factors.
Here’s what Goodell is waiting for now. Not only the completion of the Watson League investigation, but also how the NFL will ultimately shape its response to the findings. A month ago, there was no real measuring stick, as this is one of the most alarming sets of accusations against a player in the history of the league.
Now there is a measuring stick. MLB provided it. When Watson’s investigation is over, the NFL will have to decide if it wants to pay attention.
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