Deshaun Watson was back in Houston on Thursday, not to run an offense but to sit through a second deposition in a civil sexual-assault lawsuit filed against him in October 2022. The case is one of two remaining suits tied to massage appointments in 2020 and 2021. This latest round of questioning was slated for six hours at a downtown law office, with a jury trial in Harris County currently set for Feb. 18.
The deposition unfolded at the downtown office of Watson’s attorney Rusty Hardin and ran the full six hours, according to the Houston Chronicle. Watson declined to comment afterward through his lawyers. Harris County District Judge Rabeea Collier had ordered this second session after the plaintiff’s attorneys argued that earlier questioning had been obstructed, according to court filings.
Case background
The lawsuit was filed in October 2022 by a Houston massage therapist who says Watson hired her via Instagram in December 2020 and then pressured her into performing oral sex during a hotel massage, as reported by ESPN. Her complaint followed roughly two dozen similar lawsuits, most of which were resolved through confidential settlements in mid-2022. She is represented by Houston attorney Anissah Nguyen, whose filing has kept this case on track for a jury trial rather than a quiet settlement.
Who’s named and what was deposed
The Houston Texans are also named as a defendant, and the plaintiff’s lawyers have deposed team personnel including head athletic trainer Roland Ramirez and former Secret Service agent Brent Naccara, according to the Houston Chronicle. Texans attorneys are pushing to have the case thrown out even as they prepare for the possibility of trial.
The plaintiff’s side recently lost the ability to call a psychiatrist as an expert witness after a judge ruled the disclosure came too late. That ruling is now being challenged on appeal in Harris County, and the outcome could affect what the jury ultimately hears.
Legal stakes and Watson’s defense
Watson’s legal team has asked the court to dismiss the case altogether and has labeled the filing a “sham lawsuit,” attorney Rusty Hardin told reporters, according to NBC Sports. Watson has not faced criminal charges related to these allegations, yet the NFL suspended him for 11 games and fined him $5 million. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2022 and signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract, Reuters reported. Watson also missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from an Achilles injury, adding another layer of uncertainty to his on-field future.
What to watch next
If the Feb. 18 trial date holds, it would mark the first of Watson’s civil accusations to reach a jury. That date was set by a Harris County judge, according to Yahoo Sports. In the run-up to trial, lawyers on both sides will keep trading evidence and filing pretrial motions. Any ruling on whether the case survives dismissal, or on which expert testimony makes the cut, could significantly shape what jurors ultimately see and hear in a Harris County courtroom.
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