ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith: Deshaun Watson ‘Should Be Very Happy’ With Only an 11-Game Suspension

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that Cleveland Browns star quarterback Deshaun Watson “should be very happy” that he only got suspended 11 games by the NFL, which sought a season-long suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

As part of the punishment, announced on Thursday, Watson, who’s facing sexual misconduct allegations from massage therapists, was also fined a record $5 million and is required to get mandatory counseling.

The NFL’s suspension overrode the six-game suspension handed down earlier this month by arbiter and former federal judge Sue L. Robinson for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

On Thursday’s First Take, Smith agreed with the NFL’s disciplinary action against Watson:

Deshaun Watson should be very happy with that. The fact of the matter is you coulda gotten a whole year. You’re not getting a year. Secondly, you know you tried to make it so you get $46 million a year the last four years of your deal and you’re only getting $1.3 million the first year. The NFL said ‘you tryin’ to be slick with that’ so it’s only $5 million. That basically means you still keep $225 million of your money, plus there’s a six-game stretch that you get to play for this upcoming season. I think, considering all the allegations that were thrown out there, all of the things that have been said, that is fair.

During the offseason, the Browns gave Watson a 5-year contract worth $230 million after acquiring him in a trade with the Houston Texans. All of the money is guaranteed and is a record for guaranteed money for a quarterback.

Watson, who apologized on Friday for sexual harassment toward massage therapists, released a statement on Wednesday in response to the suspension in which he didn’t apologize to the women, rather “for any pain this situation has caused.”

Watch above, via ESPN.