Deshaun Watson Being Sued For Sexual Assault, Denies Claims

Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson took to social media on Tuesday night, but his reason for doing so wasn't at all related to his trade status. Instead, Watson came out and denied sexual assault allegations made against him.

That lawsuit is being led by attorney Tony Buzbee, who disclosed the information in a vague Instagram post of his own on Tuesday night. He later told FOX 26 reporter Isiah Carey that Watson was getting a massage from the alleged victim at a time when Watson "went too far."

Of course, that prompted a response from Watson, who completely denies the allegations.

"As a result of a social media post by a publicity-seeking plantiff's lawyer, I recently became aware of a lawsuit that has apparently been filed against me," Watson shared on Twitter. "I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. The plaintiff's lawyer claims that this isn't about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn't about money for me - it's about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that."

The timing of these allegations is strange.

Watson has been a major talking point during the NFL offseason ever since he publicly expressed a desire to be traded from Houston. There have been talks of him going to the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers, but the Texans aren't currently willing to deal him.

Now there's talk of Watson crossing the line with an alleged victim, which adds a new wrinkle to the situation. The priority now will be determining -- one way or another -- the validity of these claims against him.

If they're true, then Watson will face serious consequences. If they aren't true, then the next question will be to ask why the allegations were made in the first place.

It has been noted that Buzbee was once a neighbor of the late Bob McNair, the former owner of the Texans. Is that somehow connected? Who knows, but it's an odd coincidence at least.

Some on social media have speculated that this is a tactic being used by Houston brass, but that seems farfetched. What would Cal McNair -- or anyone else in the organization -- have to gain by accusing Watson of sexual assault? The allegations would probably hurt his trade value if he still insists on switching teams, but they would also taint his reputation if he stays. Both scenarios are bad for Houston.

That doesn't mean that Houston isn't connected to the allegations, but it seems like a reach.

But of course, we don't know whether the allegations are true or false, so we can't go to Step 2 when we haven't completed Step 1 yet.

This story is ongoing, so stayed tuned for more details.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.