HOUSTON (AP) — The final two of nearly 30 civil lawsuits that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had faced from women accusing him of sexual misconduct have been dismissed, according to court records.
The dismissal of these two lawsuits clears Watson of legal problems he had been facing since 2021 after 27 women came forward and accused him in court filings in Texas of exposing himself, touching them with his genitals or kissing them against their will, mostly during massage appointments.
Some of the women alleged Watson, 30, forced them to perform oral sex and one woman accused him of sexually assaulting her.
The dismissals come as both lawsuits had been set to go to trial in the next few weeks. The accusations against Watson were made when he played for the Houston Texans.
It is believed that Watson has no other lawsuits pending in connection with the sexual misconduct allegations.
One of the lawsuits that was dismissed on Friday has been settled, said Tony Buzbee, the attorney for the woman who had filed it. Buzbee declined to comment further, citing confidentiality of the settlement agreement. Buzbee's client alleged Watson touched her with his penis multiple times during a massage session.
It was not immediately known if the other dismissed lawsuit had also been settled. Anissah Nguyen, an attorney for the woman who filed the lawsuit, didn’t immediately respond to an email or call seeking comment. Nguyen's client had accused Watson of pressuring her to perform oral sex during a massage.
Watson’s attorneys declined to comment.
Watson, who was traded to the Browns in March 2022, has long denied any wrongdoing, and two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict him. One of his attorneys, Rusty Hardin, had previously said the allegations against Watson were “meritless.”
“I don’t remember or recall any sexual encounters with her,” Watson said in a 2023 deposition he gave while being questioned about the woman represented by Nguyen.
The woman represented by Nguyen had also sued the Houston Texans, alleging Watson had assaulted women with the help and resources of the team. The lawsuit against the Texans was also dismissed last week.
A spokesperson for the Texans didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
In July 2022, 30 women who had accused the Texans of turning a blind eye to allegations against their former star quarterback settled their legal claims against the team.
It was not unusual that all the cases against Watson were settled, said David Ring, a California-based attorney who is not connected to the lawsuits and who has represented victims of sexual assault. He said the majority of civil lawsuits are typically resolved before going to trial and that high-profile defendants typically don’t want cases to play out in a public courtroom.
“He’s trying to put all of this behind him,” Ring said.
Watson’s legal problems began after dozens of women claimed to have been the victims of sexual misconduct or assault between 2017 and 2020.
Most of the lawsuits against Watson were settled in 2022.
Following the allegations, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Watson was also fined $5 million and underwent a mandatory evaluation before being reinstated by the league. He has played in only 19 games for the Browns due to the NFL suspension and injuries.
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FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson looks on during a preseason NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Aug. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Savannah Guthrie 's family is “at an hour of desperation” in the search for her missing mother, the “Today” show host said in a video released Monday, just hours before a purported ransom deadline apparently set by Nancy Guthrie ’s abductors.
Savannah Guthrie didn’t mention the deadline in the video, saying her family in Arizona continues to believe their 84-year-old mother is out there and hearing everyone’s prayers.
“She was taken and we don’t know where, and we need your help,” Guthrie said in the video posted on Instagram, urging people nationwide to be on the lookout. “No matter where you are, even if you’re far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything.”
The mysterious disappearance and search has riveted the country — from President Donald Trump, who spoke with Savannah Guthrie last week, to the online sleuths who’ve flooded social media with tips, theories and rumors.
The FBI is now asking for the public’s help on digital billboards up in several major cities in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information.
Multiple news outlets received alleged ransom letters during the past week. At least one letter made monetary demands and set deadlines for receiving the money. The first deadline passed last Thursday but a second one was set for Monday evening.
Law enforcement officials declined to affirm that the letters were credible but said all tips were being investigated seriously. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Monday that law enforcement tip lines have received thousands of calls.
Authorities say they have growing concerns about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs daily medication. She is said to have a pacemaker and has dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
Savannah Guthrie expressed hope on Monday that her mom was still alive.
“We believe that somehow, some way, she is feeling these prayers,” she said, “and that God is lifting her even in this moment and in this darkest place.”
In a video Saturday, she said the family was prepared to pay for her mother’s return. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson. She was last seen there Jan. 31 and reported missing the next day after not attending church. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, and her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours of Sunday morning, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said.
Outside the home on Monday, neighbors strolled by on their morning jogs and walks, while a county sheriff's deputy remained stationed out front.
Law enforcement's work at Guthrie residences will continue Tuesday “as part of the ongoing investigative process, including the expansion of the search and follow-up on new leads,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Monday.
Detectives and agents carried out follow-up work in the neighborhood and other locations over the weekend as part of the investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Sunday.
“Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to this case,” the department said.
Investigators on Saturday were inside daughter Annie Guthrie’s home, about 4 miles (6 kilometers) from Nancy Guthrie's house. On Sunday, an investigator was seen using a pole to search an underground tank behind Nancy Guthrie’s home.
A person walks a dog as members of the Pima County sheriffs office remains outside of Nancy Guthrie's home, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
A member of the Pima County sheriffs office remains outside of Nancy Guthrie's home, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
FILE - This image provided by the Pima County Sheriff's Department on Feb. 2, 2026, shows a missing person alert for Nancy Guthrie. (Pima County Sheriff's Department via AP, File)
A member of the Pima County sheriffs office stands by his truck looking at Nancy Guthrie‘s house, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
Lit candles next to a sign from neighbors supporting the Guthrie family outside of Nancy Guthrie’s house in the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
