Cordarrelle Patterson couldn’t help but think about his suspended Falcons teammate after Deshaun Watson reportedly was issued a punishment Monday.
Watson, who faced over 20 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and assault, was given a six-game suspension from independent arbitrator Sue L. Robinson, a former federal judge. The only scenario in which the Browns quarterback’s suspension could be extended is if the NFL decides to appeal and push for a harsher punishment. The league’s Players Association already has said it will not appeal.
Of course, Watson isn’t the only Pro Bowl-caliber set to serve a suspension this season. Atlanta wide receiver Calvin Ridley will miss the entire campaign as a result of betting on NFL games last year, including Falcons contests. And shortly after the Watson news broke, Patterson showed support for Ridley on Twitter.
“Free my dawg!!” Patterson tweeted, coupled with a photo of the two dynamic players.
The disparity in suspension length between Ridley and Watson also creates a massive difference in money lost. The 27-year-old wideout will be forced to forfeit his entire $11.1 million salary for the upcoming season. Watson, meanwhile, will miss out on less than $350,000 despite signing a lucrative five-year contract back in March.
