While the standards of conduct of one league and the rules of sanction have nothing to do with the other, both are linked to the court of public opinion, especially when it comes to the handling of Bauer and Watson from each league. They are two of the top athletes in American sports who have recently faced alarming allegations of violence and misconduct against women. So far, the handling of Watson’s accusations by the NFL has alternated between opaque and bizarre, and now takes five weeks from the separate jury trial against the unarmed Texas-wrapped general. Initially, it was expected that the closure of Watson’s criminal case would give impetus to the investigation into the league’s personal conduct. However, Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Thursday that the league’s investigators were still working and there was no “timetable” for a conclusion. In the absence of this timetable, the MLB has now provided a model for the NFL to consider, suspending Bauer for two years after several women claimed violence against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher. The decision came after MLB allowed the completion of a five-month police investigation into Bauer in February, which did not lead to charges against him. About 10 weeks later, the MLB completed its own investigation into Bauer’s behavior and issued a suspension that resonated around the sports world last week. Nowhere but baseball were these echoes echoing louder than the NFL’s bureau, which is investigating Watson who could be dragged into 2023. Watson is currently facing 22 lawsuits alleging a series of sexual misconduct. behavior or sexual assault. Watson has already begun monitoring the case files and NFL investigators could obtain them, as they have not yet been sealed by the presiding judges. The story goes on While Bauer and Watson’s investigations are not necessarily apple-to-apple, both require judgments in the absence of criminal charges. Unlike Watson, Bauer has not faced any lawsuits stemming from the allegations against him – which means he has also not sat on deposits that could provide additional information to investigators. This probably played into MLB making a faster decision on Bauer’s situation than the NFL could do with Watson. Prior to Trevor Bauer’s suspension from the MLB, there was no real benchmark for the NFL and Deshaun Watson, who will not face criminal charges for sexual misconduct. It exists now. (Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports) In addition to the timeline, the NFL now has to deal with the MLB which provides a significant example of suspension for non-criminal conduct. Baseball has made it clear that the decision was made based on its own research and interviews with women who have made allegations against Bauer. This is essentially the same space that the NFL occupies with Watson. The league has already interviewed many women who have filed lawsuits against him and has the testimony and discovery from civil proceedings that MLB did not do, something that can help any decision that finally comes out. Theoretically, the NFL should have more information than Bauer ever had baseball. This will put some pressure on the NFL visually. While an independent referee will decide whether or not Watson committed a breach of personal conduct, Goodell and the league remain in control of the duration of any subsequent suspension. Therefore, it is not as simple as stopping six games under the NFL’s guidelines for violence against women, although it is likely to provoke a fight from the NFL. In the court of public opinion, this does not just bring Goodell against Watson in terms of his statement or example of personal conduct. He also rallies against MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the Bauer ruling. If a referee finds that there has been a breach of personal conduct with Watson, Goodell could simply issue a six-match suspension and declare it a violation of the league’s domestic violence policy for the first time. It could then examine each of the 22 civil complaints against Watson and determine whether each should be considered its own infringement, opening up the possibility of much greater suspension due to additional factors. That’s waiting for Goodell now. Not only the conclusion of the league investigation into Watson, but also how the NFL will ultimately shape its response to the findings. A month ago, there was no real gauge, as this represents one of the most troubling charges against a player in league history. Now there is a measuring stick. MLB provided it. When the Watson investigation is completed, the NFL will have to decide if it wants to pay attention.
