Haslams sully Cleveland Browns franchise with their blind faith in Deshaun Watson

BEREA — Morally bereft Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam will pay a price for their repulsive commitment to Deshaun Watson.

On Thursday, when an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine for $230 million man Watson was announced, they repulsed many more.

Jimmy Haslam puffed out his chest and got defiant when asked if they had no qualms about making a player of questionable character the face of their franchise.

“I think in this country, and hopefully in the world, people deserve second chances. I really think that. I struggle a little bit … is he never supposed to play again? Is he never supposed to be a part of society? Does he get no chance to rehabilitate himself?” Haslam said, gesturing demonstratively. “That is what we are going to do.

“You can say, ‘Well, that is because he is a star quarterback.’ Well, of course, but if he was ‘Joe Smith’, he would not be in the headlines every day.”

Haslam pointed out running back Kareem Hunt, the league’s rushing champion in 2017 cut by the Kansas City Chiefs after video surfaced of him kicking a woman in a downtown Cleveland hotel. Former Browns General Manager John Dorsey signed Hunt, who after serving an eight-game league suspension has played 32 games in his past three seasons in Cleveland.

“We think people deserve a second chance. We gave Kareem Hunt a second chance, and that has worked out pretty well,” Haslam said. “We are hoping this will work out, and we have strong belief it will.

“That does not mean we do not have empathy for people affected and we will continue to do so, but we strongly believe, strongly believe that people deserve a second chance; we believe Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance.”

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Haslam knows a little about second chances. He escaped federal charges after an FBI investigation into rebate-skimming on diesel fuel purchases at his family’s Pilot Flying J. Seventeen former employees were convicted. The company paid $85 million in settlements to trucking companies and a $92 million penalty to the U.S. Justice Department. Haslam remained at the Browns’ helm.

Bringing up Hunt did not help the Browns convince anyone that they care about women. They have a female assistant coach, Callie Brownson, and continue to bring women into the organization, adding Catherine Raiche as assistant GM and vice president of football operations in June. Brownson was another beneficiary of a second chance, with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski sticking by her after a DUI arrest on May 27, 2021.

Yet the Haslams blindly placed their faith in a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback still incapable of admitting remorse despite settling 23 of 24 civil cases against him for sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments. Two Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges.

“I am moving on with my career and my life, and I am continuing to stand by my innocence,” Watson said Thursday. “Just because settlements and things like that happen does not mean that a person is guilty for anything. … We proved that on the legal side …”

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Dee Haslam said she believes Watson will change when it comes to accountability, but she may be ignoring his manipulative traits.

“He is making progress, but it is not going to happen overnight. He is 26 years old, and he is just getting into counseling; it is going to take some time,” she said.

The Haslams made a $1 million donation to support nonprofit organizations devoted to sexual misconduct and assault. When asked about that, Dee Haslam seemingly tried to downplay the Watson criticism by going global.

“I hope the conversation comes to, ‘What can we do going forward to get the information out to help other people?’" she said. "I think there is just a huge opportunity to talk about the major issues in our country in this area, such as sex trafficking, massage parlor abuse, etc. ... We can continue to talk about Deshaun or we can talk about the major issues our country faces and make a difference.”

Her remarks showed no empathy for Watson’s accusers and sounded as if she were trying to sweep Watson’s transgressions aside.

Jimmy Haslam also brought up their two-hour “interview” with Watson on March 15 in Houston as if that could calm the masses.

“We got a little bit of a feel for him then, and he came into the building in mid-April. We have seen him grow over the last four or five months,” Haslam said. “I think we have seen him recognize some things that he wished he had done differently and some positions he wished he had not put himself into. He has been very open to counseling and seeking help.”

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This comes from an owner who has had six full-time coaches and six general managers/heads of football operations in 10 years. That’s hardly an endorsement of the Haslams’ judgment of character or capability.

Their misguided hires have kept the once-storied franchise in a constant state of chaos. Even if Watson delivers a Super Bowl, giving him $230 million guaranteed and overlooking what former federal judge Sue L. Robinson deemed predatory conduct toward women has forever sullied it.

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson another misguided Browns hire by Haslams