DALLAS (AP) — Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is being sued by three masseuses who accuse the star player of sexual assault in a “disturbing pattern" of behavior toward women.
In lawsuits filed this week, two of the woman claim that Watson touched them with his penis during massages last year, and the third alleges he forced her to perform oral sex.
Watson, 25, has broadly denied that he acted inappropriately and said he looks forward to clearing his name.
“I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect,” the quarterback said in a statement posted to Twitter Tuesday. His attorney and agent did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on whether any of the alleged sexual assaults were reported to police, saying the department does not identify people who have not been charged with a crime.
The women, who are not named in the lawsuits, are represented by Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday, but wrote in one of the lawsuits that “Watson's behavior is part of a disturbing pattern of preying on vulnerable woman.”
According to the suits, the women live in Texas, Oregon and Georgia and work giving massages. Two claimed that during massages in March and August of last year Watson was sexually suggestive, exposed his genitals and moved toward them in ways that caused his penis to touch their hands. The lawsuit from the third woman describes similar behavior and alleges that during a massage in December, Watson ”coerced” her into giving him oral sex. The woman did not consent and then ”blacked out for a few minutes from fear,” the lawsuit states.
The alleged assaults took place at one of the women's homes, a Houston hotel and an office building in the city, according to the suits. They state that Watson connected with the women over social media, where they advertised their businesses, and flew one of them from Atlanta to Houston for a massage.
Each woman is suing for compensatory and punitive damages, as well as court costs.
Texans spokesman Omar Majzoub said that the team first learned about the allegations against Watson through a social media post Tuesday.
“We take accusations of this nature that involve anyone with the Houston Texans organization seriously,” Majzoub said in a Wednesday statement. He declined to comment further Thursday.
Watson is one of the league’s top quarterbacks and led the NFL in yards passing last season. He signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans last offseason, but he became unhappy with the direction of the team as Houston sunk to 4-12 and he requested a trade in January.
