CHARDON, Ohio — The possibility of quarterback Deshaun Watson coming to Cleveland also comes with questions about his off-field actions, specifically allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment from 22 women.
Watson has been cleared of criminal charges and is not the first athlete to be accused, but across social media, fans and commentators are wondering: Are athletes too easily excused for bad behavior?
Former athletic trainer Andrea Gutka spends her days as CEO of WomenSafe Inc. helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The advocate and sports fan is watching closely what happens with Watson and the Browns.
"Some people are going to choose to keep on keeping on, no matter what faults may have gone on in their own organization," Gutka said, "and some people are going to say, 'This is not an organization I want to be aligned with."
Gutka says it's hard to imagine kids won't look up to whoever is the face of their favorite franchise, looking at behavior both on and off the field.
"They're paying attention to what celebrities are saying or acting or doing," she explained. "I can't imagine they're not when it comes to professional athletes."
The NFL has a history of players being punished — either through the league or in court — for personal conduct issues and then coming back to play. Watson is facing multiple civil suits from the women accusing him of misconduct, but is still being courted by the Browns and several other teams to be their starting quarterback.
As for past events, current Browns running back Kareem Hunt was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 and later served an eight-game suspension after being caught on camera kicking and shoving a woman at a downtown Cleveland apartment complex. Further east, former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was issued a four-game ban in 2010 following two sexual assault claims, but ended up playing for another decade and is considered a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The NFL has acknowledged issues with both domestic violence and sexual misconduct among its players, but some feel the steps they have taken are still insufficient. So, what would it take to change this culture?
"The change truly comes when you talk about it, and you talk about it as a community and within your organization and you set your values," Gutka answered. "I think people make their own decisions based upon that."