Deshaun Watson: Wife of Indians legend Jim Thome cancels Browns season tickets over trade

The commerce for quarterback Deshaun Watson — who’s dealing with 22 civil lawsuits over sexual assault allegations — has led to a backlash amongst followers of the Cleveland Browns. 

Now, the controversy over the commerce has prompted one outstanding sports activities household with ties to Cleveland to attract a “line within the sand.” 

Andrea Thome, the spouse of Cleveland Indians legend Jim Thome, has determined to cancel the household’s Browns season tickets.

Thome introduced on Twitter Friday that she was canceling the tickets on the identical day that the Browns held a press convention to introduce Watson and deal with the controversy surrounding the commerce and his lawsuits. 

“Formally cancelled our Browns season tickets immediately and requested for a refund as they had been paid in full,” Thome wrote. “Very unhappy after 40 years as a fan, however that is my line within the sand. I imagine girls. Particularly when there are 22 of them. That press convention did nothing to alter my thoughts.”

Through the press convention, Watson answered a number of questions concerning the validity of the allegations and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. When requested if he can be open to counseling, Watson mentioned: “I don’t have an issue.”

“I perceive the entire circumstance may be very troublesome, particularly for the ladies’s aspect — the followers on this group. I’m not naive to that,” Watson mentioned of the criticism his commerce has drawn. “I do know these allegations are very, very critical, however like I discussed earlier than, I’ve by no means assaulted any girl. I by no means disrespected any girl. I used to be raised by a single guardian mother. … That’s who raised me.”

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski speaks throughout a press convention introducing quarterback Deshaun Watson at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 25, 2022 in Berea, Ohio.
(Nick Cammett/Getty Photographs)

“I can’t communicate on what folks’s opinions are, as a result of everybody has their very own opinions,” he mentioned, “however what I can proceed to do is inform the reality, and that’s I’ve by no means assaulted or disrespected or harassed any girls in my life. Like I mentioned earlier than, I used to be raised in another way. That’s not in my DNA. That’s not my tradition. That’s not me as an individual and that’s not how I used to be raised.”

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If the Browns do not supply a refund, Thome mentioned she plans to public sale off the tickets and publicly donate the cash to completely different girls’s disaster charities in northeast Ohio.

“They might not give us a refund. However I despatched the letter immediately. If @Browns gained’t refund—-I’ll public sale off each single recreation and publicly donate each cent to completely different girls’s disaster charities in N.E. Ohio, elevating consciousness week by week throughout the season,” she wrote. 

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday mentioned he expects Watson to take part absolutely within the group’s offseason program starting April 18.

Talking on the NFL homeowners’ conferences in Palm Seashore, Florida, Stefanski mentioned the group has been welcoming of Watson regardless of his off-the-field points, and the coach famous he’ll attempt and ensure these points do not distract the group. 

Cleveland Browns common supervisor Andrew Berry, left, new quarterback Deshaun Watson, heart, and head coach Kevin Stefanski pose for a photograph throughout a information convention on the NFL soccer group’s coaching facility, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Berea, Ohio. 
(AP Picture/Ron Schwane)

“I believe that’s necessary for our gamers, coaches and our constructing normally,’’ Stefanski mentioned, in accordance with the Cleveland Plain-Vendor. “We perceive that there are questions, and we’re going to proceed to have that dialogue. However on the finish of the day, we even have our work to do. We’ve got to concentrate on that. … It’s a must to be current and be the place your toes are. That can actually be our strategy to every part.”

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Amid the backlash for hiring Watson, Stefanski mentioned his group has tried to be “understanding of everyone’s viewpoint.”

“I need to simply make it possible for I’m out there in our constructing to everybody to speak by means of as a result of it’s not one thing that was taken calmly,” the coach added. “It’s simply too necessary. I wished to make it possible for everyone understood that that is one thing that took weeks, months, weeks of gathering info, of discussions and conversations. It’s not one thing we might take calmly.”

The commerce for Watson, who agreed to a five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns, probably spells the top of the Baker Mayfield period. Mayfield has been the Browns’ quarterback since his rookie season after the group chosen him No. 1 total within the 2018 NFL Draft.

Mayfield battled a shoulder damage final season as he began 14 video games and threw for simply 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns, the bottom totals in his profession. In 2020, Mayfield led the Browns to the playoffs for the primary time since 2002, throwing for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 

Jim Thome, a Corridor of Famer, had his quantity (25) retired by the Indians in 2018. 

Cleveland Indians batter Jim Thome watches as his solo dwelling run goes over the precise discipline wall throughout the second inning in opposition to the New York Yankees 19 June at Jacobs Discipline in Cleveland, Ohio.
(ANTHONY ONCHAK/AFP through Getty Photographs)

He at present ranks eighth on the MLB all-time dwelling run checklist, with 612.

Fox Information’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report