MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Report: No Deshaun Watson decision today



After the three-day Deshaun Watson hearing ended four weeks ago yesterday, I predicted that we’d have a decision from Judge Sue L. Robinson during the week of July 25. I’ve got one more day to be not incorrect. It looks like I will be. Incorrect, that is.

Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports that the waiting game will continue into next week, with no decision coming today.


So when can a decision be expected? It’s been 29 days since the hearing ended. It’s been 17 days since the parties submitted written briefs. The Collective Bargaining Agreement contains no specific timetable for issuing a decision. However, it requires that a decision be issued “as soon as practicable following the conclusion of the hearing.”

That’s a potentially broad standard. What is, or isn’t, practicable? It depends on the case.

In this one, she’ll need to prepare a written ruling that explains what the evidence was, what the evidence wasn’t, what she believed the facts to be, and how the Personal Conduct Policy applies to those facts. It will need to be clear and understandable, especially if she imposes a suspension that falls far short of the one-year ban the league has requested. The average person will need to be able to read (if they so choose) the document and to understand why she decided whatever she decides.

Whatever the decision, it’s reportedly not coming today. Which implies that Judge Robinson has told the league and/or the NFL Players Association that a decision isn’t coming today. Which suggests that she’s keenly aware of the fact that folks would like to know what’s going to happen.

PFT

 

I had guessed that we'd have something by end of July, but here we are. So I'm a little surprised that it's taking this long. If I had to guess, I'm betting that she's been spending more time researching comparable situations. Because this is a new process to the NFL, and because of how important a decision this is, I'm betting she's going overboard to find comparable situations across various sports and their relative disciplinary rulings. She can't just pull a Goodell and pull a ruling out of her ass based on what's best for the NFL's image / bottom line.

Curious to see how / when this finishes up.

 

What can she compare it to? There is nothing with the volume of claims against one player. If she compares punishment she would have to multiply the punishment to make the comparison even have merit.

 

Well, that's the point. She can't make a ruling without substance (you know that this ruling is going to be criticized regardless of what she says - I can envision one or two Browns fans on this board losing their mind if she gives anything more than, say, 8 games, for example). But I don't think there's anything that's a direct 1 to 1 comparison. So she's digging. That's all I can really pin the length of time to, here. Unless the written briefs revealed new info / arguments, but that's not really their purpose and I'd argue that any atty that got through prior phases and left a valid argument on the table isn't as good at their job as they should be.

When I say, "digging", I don't just mean finding examples of case vs result. I mean that she's gotta be actually going through cases and determining what the circumstances were, etc. That can take time. That's the only thing I can think of. Because writing the judgement doesn't take forever, unless she's really pouring over her wording and getting peer reviews with the intent of preventing as much public outrage as possible. But to my understanding, she's retired and this should probably represent the priority work that she has to do.

That said, I don't really work on the trial law side of things, so I'm sure there are factors here I'm not accounting for. And it's not like she's being super slow, I just thought we'd have something by this weekend.

 

I agree with you on this dline,

 

I can see this being very difficult and time consuming... I also think, Judge Sue L. Robinson might be thinking; 'shit, what did I get myself into?'

Whatever/whenever her decision is, its going to be a precedent setter or a standard of sorts for the League to work with. The decision has to be clear, loud and clear and concise.

I also wouldnt be surprised if she was asking a lot of questions with her constituents (hope she can and has some, lol). It seems like suck a huge task for one mind to make up, but im assuming.

 

How about taking the evidence as presented to her during the hearing (and included in the briefs she required from both sides) and comparing it to the NFL's written policy? Does it warrant a lengthy suspension requested by the NFL or no suspension at all? My thoughts are she will extrapolate the facts and come up with a suspension that lays somewhere in the middle.

 

I wonder if the NFL would appeal a suspension that they didn’t feel was long enough and then use their kangaroo court to increase it to their liking? It seems backwards the way that they do it, because they have a impartial judge deciding the original suspension and then their office deciding the appeal.

 

It is, indeed, backwards. But that is the language that the NFLPA agreed to in the CBA.

Speaking of language . . . Robinson, no doubt, knows that the same policy applies to Owners and Coaches and that they specifically are to held to a higher standard. Perhaps the delay in publishing her decision is due to her "digging" into the (reported) actions of Dan Snyder, Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones to determine how much, if any, discipline they received in order to arrive at an appropriate result for Watson.

 

I think this is all concise and perfectly correct.

 

Mason Rudolph has “a great shot” at winning Steelers’ QB job, OC Matt Canada says



Mitch Trubisky is widely viewed as the favorite in the Steelers’ quarterback competition, unless rookie Kenny Pickett exceeds expectations in training camp. But there’s a third quarterback in the mix in Pittsburgh, and Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada says that quarterback, Mason Rudolph, is being given every opportunity to win the job.

Canada said on 93.7 The Fan that Rudolph is very much in contention to win the job.


“Mason’s getting the second reps right now, almost equal to, maybe slightly less than Mitch. He’s being given a very fair shot. To this point in camp, it might have been exactly equal. Mason has made a lot of plays at times, he’s played very well at times for us. He’s got a great shot at it. He’s being treated that way. His history with our plays, with our system, is a positive for him,” Canada said.

Rudolph is heading into his fourth season with the Steelers, while Trubisky and Pickett are both newcomers, and Rudolph has started 10 games in Pittsburgh. Rudolph is more of a known quantity to the Steelers’ coaching staff, which might give him an edge, although the reality is that the Steelers will be disappointed if neither Trubisky nor Pickett looks good enough in camp to beat out Rudolph.

PFT

 

FWIW: Not sure if this is news, but Mary Kay says "sources tell her" that we will get the ruling from Sue Robinson early this coming week.

 

Aaron Rodgers on his receivers: I like the guys that we got



The Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Chiefs in free agency. Adams and Valdes-Scantling combined for 149 receptions for 1,983 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021.

Green Bay signed veteran Sammy Watkins and drafted Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure.


Aaron Rodgers appears less concerned about the team’s 2022 wideouts than Packers fans are.

“I like the guys that we got,” Rodgers told NFL Network on Saturday. “Obviously not having Davante, who took the lion’s share of the targets last year and had an incredible season, there’s going to be the same amount of balls and yards and touchdowns to go around. So now it’s a matter of: Who’s going to be in those situations to make those plays?”

Rodgers joked earlier this week about incumbent Allen Lazard and Adams both being future Hall of Famers. But the quarterback is counting on Lazard to step up.

Lazard set career highs with 40 catches for 513 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago.

“Obviously, Allen Lazard is going to step into the No. 1 role,” Rodgers said, “and I think it’s going to be a very seamless transition for him as a primary blocker and kind of a niche guy for us, to get an opportunity to get more throws, be No. 1 in the progression more often.”

Rodgers expects Watson, a second-round selection, to return from the active/physically unable to perform list in a “few weeks,” but he already has established a rapport with Doubs.

“Romeo Doubs has had a really nice start to the camp,” Rodgers said. “He’s been getting a lot of attention based on some of the plays that he’s made. I like the approach. Very understated kid, very humble kid from kind of inner city L.A., made his way to Nevada.

“I was sitting with him at lunch the other day and really just marveling. It’s surprising how many teams passed on him. Whatever reason it was, we all feel really good about Romeo and the start he’s gotten off to.”

Rodgers also praised Watkins and Randall Cobb.

“I think those guys are a little more dangerous because they have so much more to play for,” Rodgers said.

Time will tell, but for now, Rodgers isn’t having sleepless nights worrying about who’s going to catch passes from him. Then again, what choice does he have? Adams isn’t coming back.

PFT

 

Mitchell Trubisky has gotten all of the first-team reps in camp



Despite the decision of the Steelers to use the 20th overall pick in the draft on quarterback Kenny Pickett, veteran Mitchell Trubisky has the inside track to be the starter.

Reporting from the team’s training camp, Peter King said Trubisky basically has been told that the No. 1 job is his to lose.


To date, Trubisky hasn’t.

“Coach Tomlin is very transparent about the situation.” Trubisky told King. “I’ve taken all the reps with the ones so far. So I’m just trying not to take any day for granted, just take advantage of this opportunity, continue to lead this team.

So will Trubisky win the job? “I’d like to think so,” he told King.

It makes sense. It’s always easier to go from veteran to first-round rookie than from first-round rookie to veteran. Once Pickett gets the job, it will be very hard to flip it back to Trubisky or anyone else.

Remember — when the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, he didn’t start right away. It was only after Tommy Maddox got injured that the door opened for the then-rookie.

The Steelers can afford to take their time. The team will be driven by defense and its running game. They don’t need someone to throw the ball all over the place.

Also, just because things didn’t work for Trubisky in Chicago doesn’t mean he can’t get it done. He helped the team get to the playoffs twice in four seasons with the Bears, and things seemed to fall apart not simply because of him but because he didn’t fit with the team’s offensive approach after John Fox was fired and Matt Nagy was hired.

PFT

 

NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson's decision regarding a possible Watson suspension is expected to be announced Monday, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The long wait for the ruling on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s likely suspension is finally over.


NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson will inform the NFL, NFL Players Association and Watson’s camp of her decision Monday, two league sources told cleveland.com. The ruling is expected to come around 9 a.m.


It doesn’t meant it’s the final word, however. The NFL and NFLPA don’t know the result yet, a source said, and either side can still appeal to Commissioner Roger Goodell. Watson faces a potential lengthy suspension under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy in the wake of accusations by nearly 30 massage therapists that he committed sexual misconduct during appointments in 2020 and 2021 when he played for the Texans.



He was under investigation by the NFL, led by attorney Lisa Friel, for more than 15 months.



Watson, 26, has settled 20 of the 24 civil suits against him, with four pending. All of the plaintiffs are represented by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee. Thirty of his accusers have settled their claims or intended claims against the Houston Texans for enabling Watson’s alleged misconduct.



The NFL has argued vehemently for an indefinite suspension of at least the season, with a chance to apply for reinstatement afterwards. The NFLPA, led by attorney Jeffrey Kessler, has fought for a much shorter ban, largely on the grounds that NFL owners such as Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder and Robert Kraft weren’t punished for their direct or indirect involvement in sexual misconduct on the part of themselves or someone in their organizations.



Watson’s case is the first since the NFL and NFL Players Association revised the collective bargaining agreement in 2020 to take the initial ruling under the Personal Conduct Policy out of Goodell’s hands and put it in those off an officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association.



Not only does Robinson, the retired federal judge, want to get it right, but all parties involved want to respect the new collectively bargained process. Therefore, it remains to be seen if either side will appeal or let the ruling stand.

CLEVELAND.com

 

This is pretty damn thought provoking...

 

I was just reading that moments before you posted it. My initial thought was, they may feel strongly that the suspension, if any, wont be too lengthy and they just wont fight it and they want to move on. On the other hand, will Goodell and the NFL settle for less than something really substantial... we will see soon, possibly by 9am eastern tomorrow according to some reports ive read.

 

I agree, they sound very confident that it is going to be a light suspension. Roethlisberger got 6 reduced to 4. That's probably what they are hanging their hat on. Will be interesting to see what the league does. Women represent nearly half of NFL fans now. They can't just punt here.