Deshaun Watson admits to consensual encounters as accusers forced to reveal names

The attorney for Deshaun Watson admitted Friday that his client did have sexual encounters with some of the women suing the Texans quarterback, but said the encounters were not coercive and Watson didn’t use his status as a celebrity athlete to force anyone into such acts.

“In some of these massages there’s going to be no question — we’ve never run from it — our first announcement has always been about consent, that on some occasions some active sexual activity would have taken place,” Watson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said at a press conference. “I’m not going to go into what it is, the nature, the numbers or with whom, but I think you can rightfully assume that question always, that we have always been emphasizing, never at any time, under any circumstances … did this young man ever engage in anything that was not mutually desired by the other party.” The press conference came on the heels of rulings by two Texas judges that most of the women accusing Watson of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct must reveal their identities.