Ex-AG to hear Watson appeal
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has chosen former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to hear the appeal of the six-game suspension for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson was suspended this week by independent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson, who concluded he violated the league's personal conduct policy after being accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen women in Texas.
The league, which had been pushing for an indefinite suspension, wanted further discipline and appealed Robinson's ruling on Wednesday.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, the appeal gave the power back to Goodell to enact punishment but he instead chose Harvey, currently a partner at a law firm in New York, to hear the appeal.
In noting his qualifications, the league said Harvey “has deep expertise in criminal law, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and has advised the NFL and other professional leagues on the development and implementation of workplace policies, including the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy."
Harvey has also served as Goodell’s designee in other arbitrations, and he’s a member of the league’s Diversity Advisory Committee, created to improve racial and gender diversity across the NFL.
Goodell chose a designee because he wanted an expert in the field who can focus solely on this matter, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Goodell is busy with Hall of Fame weekend and the upcoming league meeting on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because it’s an internal matter.
WR Johnson in fold
Diontae Johnson’s hold-in paid off. The Steelers and the Pro Bowl wide receiver agreed to a three-year deal that runs through the 2024 season. The deal reportedly will pay Johnson more than $39 million.
Johnson was entering the final season of the rookie deal he signed after being taken in the third round of the 2019 draft. The 26-year-old caught a careerbest 107 passes for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
In other news, the Broncos signed free agent receiver Darrius Shepherd, who played for the Packers for two years and played this spring for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.
Shepherd takes the roster spot that opened up when the Broncos’ leading receiver, Tim Patrick, was placed on the IR on Wednesday with a season-ending torn right ACL.
Ruling soon?
A judge made it likely she’ll rule in weeks rather than months whether Goodell gets to decide the merits of racial discrimination claims made by Black coaches against the league and its teams, saying an effort to gather more evidence seems like “an impermissible fishing expedition.”
US District Judge Valerie Caproni said in a written ruling lawyers for coaches Brian Flores, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton cannot gather additional evidence to support their arguments that the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court should remain in court rather than be sent to arbitration.
Flores, who was fired in January as head coach of the Dolphins, filed the lawsuit in February, saying the league was “rife with racism” even as it publicly condemns it.
Caproni instructed lawyers for the coaches to submit written arguments against arbitration by Aug. 19 and told the NFL and its teams to respond by Aug. 26.