Thirteen civil cases filed against the Houston Texans‘ Deshaun Watson through Monday accuse him of a range of actions during massage appointments over the past year, from refusing to cover his genitals to forced oral sex. Watson has denied the allegations in the lawsuits, which do not name any of the women. A summary of the alleged behavior, according to the lawsuits:
March 30, 2020, at the plaintiff’s home in Texas. The plaintiff has run a massage therapy business since 2018 and is a licensed therapist. He contacted her via direct message on Instagram and insisted no one else be present during his massage. The woman alleges that Watson exposed his penis and touched her hand with his penis. She says she ended the massage abruptly and Watson told her: “I know you have a career and a reputation, and I know you would hate for someone to mess with yours, just like I don’t want anyone messing with mine.” She says he texted later to apologize but she did not respond.
April 19, 2020, at a Houston spa. The plaintiff, a licensed esthetician who owns her skin care business, says she was contacted by Watson via Instagram. During a massage appointment, Watson directed the woman to work on the crevices in his groin area, the lawsuit states. She says when he rolled over onto his back, he had an erection and repeatedly touched her hand with his penis. He ejaculated, leaving the woman “confused and mortified,” the lawsuit states.
June 2, 2020, at a spa in Houston. The plaintiff has been in the massage business about 11 years and is a licensed therapist who routinely works with pro athletes. She says Watson contacted her via Instagram and later by phone, telling her he makes “a lot of massage therapists uncomfortable and it’s really hard for me to find someone who will meet my needs.” During the appointment, the woman says, Watson continually tried to remove towels and exposed his penis multiple times and moved “in such a way to make his penis touch Plaintiff.” The lawsuit says Watson tried to schedule future appointments but was ignored or declined.
June 2020 and Aug. 17, 2020, at a hotel and later a spa in Houston. The plaintiff, who offers bodywork and stretch therapy classes, markets her business through Instagram. She said she initially did not know who Watson was when he contacted her through the manager at a spa where she worked. She met him at a hotel where he was staying, the lawsuit says. She says Watson groped her buttocks and vagina, and she slapped him. She says he later touched her hand with his penis. On Aug. 17, she says, Watson reached out on Instagram, and she didn’t realize the connection to her earlier client until he arrived. The lawsuit says Watson apologized for his earlier behavior but during the appointment exposed himself, forced the woman’s mouth onto his penis and masturbated in front of her.
July 2020 at the plaintiff’s house in Houston. The plaintiff offered Watson a teeth whitening and sauna detox when he originally reached out via Instagram for a massage. Later, by telephone, Watson asked about Swedish massage, and she said she would try to learn it before his appointment, according to the lawsuit. During the appointment, the woman says, Watson lay naked on his stomach and told her to massage the area underneath his genitals and anus before flipping onto his back. The lawsuit states that as the plaintiff massaged his groin, Watson ejaculated on her face and body. She says he then took her hand and had it touch his penis. The woman called a friend later that day to say what had happened because, she says, she was in shock.
Aug. 2, 2020, at a hotel in Houston. The plaintiff offers various wellness services in homes, hotels and offices. Watson allegedly contacted her by Instagram to set up an appointment. The woman says that, during the session, Watson repeatedly asked if he could be naked and demanded she focus on the buttocks. The lawsuit alleges that Watson told the plaintiff he wanted her to touch his anus with her fingers. After the session, according to the lawsuit, Watson was naked in the room when the plaintiff returned from washing her hands and he allegedly asked if she did more than just professional work “for more money.” The woman says she immediately declined and told him to leave. Due to the incident, she left the profession, the lawsuit states.
Aug. 28, 2020, at the Houstonian Hotel. The plaintiff has owned a massage therapy business in Atlanta since 2019. She says Watson contacted her via Instagram and flew her to Houston for his appointment. The woman says Watson tried to get her to touch his genitals and exposed himself. She said she ended the massage and Watson grabbed her hand and arm and said, ‘It is OK. It is OK.’ She said she pulled away. When Watson went to shower, she says, she left for the airport and did not respond to later requests from Watson.
Several encounters between Sept. 9, 2020, and October 2020 at a spa in Houston. The plaintiff, a licensed esthetician of nine years, offers back treatments and body scrubs. In one session, the lawsuit says, Watson asked the woman “what she would do about his erection.” She told him his behavior was inappropriate, the lawsuit says. In an October session, she says, Watson tried to put his penis in the plaintiff’s hand so she would touch it and moved his body so his penis would touch her hand. She says he insisted she focus on his groin, complained she was wearing too many clothes and tried to kiss her. The woman says she cut the second session short and Watson left.
Sept. 24, 2020, at a rented room in a Houston salon. The plaintiff, who owns her own fitness company and offers body conditioning and wellness therapy, says Watson contacted her on Instagram. She said Watson asked if it was OK if he got naked and “if he got aroused.” Later, she says, he moved his body to have his penis touch her hand. She said she moved away and Watson then ejaculated. The lawsuit says the woman “felt violated and disgusted” and immediately stopped the session.
Two sessions — Oct. 19 and around Nov. 2, 2020 — at the plaintiff’s office in Houston. The woman owns a bodywork and stretch therapy company and had been open around six months. She said Watson contacted her on Instagram. In the first session, she says, Watson wanted her to work on his inner thighs. She said she doesn’t “do that kind of work,” but she did after he insisted, according to the lawsuit. During the second session, Watson kissed the plaintiff when he arrived, she says. She was shocked and left the office quickly to compose herself, and when she returned he exposed himself, the lawsuit says. Later, she says, Watson asked her to work on his buttocks and penis area but she declined. The lawsuit says he moved in a way to have his penis touch her hand and offered to pay extra if she worked on his buttocks and penis. She says when she declined, Watson got upset and left.
Dec. 28, 2020, at a Houston office building. The woman, a licensed massage therapist since 2018, says Watson contacted her through Instagram. During the session, she says, Watson instructed her to slide her hands across his genitals. The woman says she started shaking and felt intimidated and threatened. The lawsuit says that he forced the woman to have oral sex and that she blacked out for a few minutes from fear. She says Watson then got dressed and left.
Jan. 21, 2021, in Houston. The plaintiff, a licensed massage therapist who owns her own business in Houston, says Watson contacted her on Instagram. As the massage started, she says, Watson asked if he could remove draping because he gets hot. The woman says she told Watson that he would have to remain partially covered and that the massage was strictly professional. The lawsuit says he exposed his erect penis and caused it to touch her hand.
March 5, 2021, at a massage therapy business in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The plaintiff is a licensed massage therapist who owns her own business. She says Watson contacted her on Instagram about a $55 discount massage she was offering. During the massage, she says, Watson made her uncomfortable and directed her to his groin area. She refused, and Watson exposed himself and put his penis on her hand, the lawsuit says. She says she was shocked and moved away, and Watson dressed and left.
