Why football can't grant redemption to Deshaun Watson or Justin Tucker

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to throw a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) (George Walker IV/Associated Press) Football can provide Deshaun Watson with millions of dollars, and with a platform, and even with the roaring adulation of a sellout crowd.But don't think for one second it can grant him redemption.Redemption doesn't work that way.The Kansas City Chiefs can offer Justin Tucker a second chance.A second chance to kick footballs. Not a second chance for atonement.After all, forgiveness isn't the Chiefs' to give.We need to be clear about this. As long as those in charge of the Cleveland Browns and the Chiefs are going to keep pointing out, as so many professional sports teams have before them, that it is not their place to determine the guilt of men accused of (but not charged with) terrible offenses, the rest of us should keep pointing out it's not our place to absolve them of anything.Watson, now the quarterback of the 5-2 Browns, was accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women during his time with the Houston Texans. Two grand juries declined to indict him, but Watson reached confidential settlements in 24 of 27 lawsuits brought against him, and the Texans settled with 30 women who accused the team of enabling Watson's behavior.Or, as Amazon Prime announcer Al Michaels put it on Thursday Night Football a few weeks ago, "If you follow football, you know the story. We don't have to go through the whole Deshaun Watson thing." That's quite a broadcast choice. Another one came in the preseason, when Michaels' partner in the booth, Kirk Herbstreit, went on a too-incredible-to-believe monologue about how he's "a guy that believes everybody deserves second opportunities," right before showing footage of Watson presenting money from his first rookie paycheck to women who worked in the Texans' cafeteria.So, apparently, one Watson act of charity NINE YEARS AGO was worth highlighting, because according to Herbstreit, "that's really the guy everybody knew." But 24 to 30 allegations of Watson's sexual misconduct don't merit a recap.That framing is insulting, not only to Watson's accusers but also to the intelligence of every viewer. When Herbstreit predicted that "boos turn into cheers" when a quarterback converts third downs and wins games, he wasn't wrong. But to insinuate that those cheers somehow vindicate the Browns, and their decision to employ him?That misses the whole point. Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) gives a signal at the line of scrimmage during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) (George Walker IV/Associated Press) The fans who were outraged when Cleveland traded for Watson (and then immediately rewarded him with a $230 million contract) were not outraged because they thought he was bad at football. They were outraged because they didn't want to root for a man credibly accused of repeated incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault.Just because he played abysmally for a couple of seasons, and just because he's now playing a little bit better, doesn't mean he's been redeemed. You cannot throw interceptions and an Achilles injury into the same bowl as allegations of sexual misconduct and call it all "adversity."In the same vein, people analyzing Chiefs games had better keep in mind what their new practice-squad kicker is trying to "overcome." Tucker, the former Texas Longhorn, had a sparkling 13-year tenure with Baltimore come to an end when the NFL suspended him 10 games in 2025 for violating the league's conduct policy.The suspension, which Tucker did not appeal, came after the Baltimore Banner spoke to 16 female massage therapists who accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior. Tucker released a statement denying the allegations and calling them "unequivocally false," but the Ravens did not re-sign him, and he served his suspension while not under contract with any NFL team.But now the Chiefs might need a new kicker. Their current one, Harrison Butker has missed five field-goal attempts this season in a slump that might give him more time to become a homemaker. So this week, Kansas City brought in Tucker to push Butker at practice, and possibly take over. When Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked about the message Tucker's signing sent to the team's female fan base, he didn't have much to say."He's done his suspension. Took care of that business there. I'll leave it at that," Reid said.Later, a reporter asked what kind of vetting the team did on Tucker's background."I'm not going to get into all of that," Reid said. "To bring him in here, I did some homework. He's here and he's on the practice squad, so we roll with it."That's the Chiefs' right. It's Tucker's, too. But if he makes a big kick for them, and some breathless announcer tries to turn it into a redemption story?We all should know better.SubscribeThere’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Why football can't grant redemption to Deshaun Watson or Justin Tucker.