Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson is a quarterback who plays for the NFL team Cleveland Browns. He was drafted by the Browns in 2022 and used to play for the Houston Texans till 2021. The young quarterback has had a rollercoaster of an NFL journey since he started playing for the Texans in 2017.

In addition to leading the league in passing yards in 2020, Watson led the Texans to consecutive division victories in 2018 and 2019. In all three of his seasons as Houston's main starter, he was named to the Pro Bowl. As of right now, he is sixth in all-time career passer rating and eleventh in lifetime completion percentage (minimum 1,500 attempts).

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Deshaun Watson’s Early Life and Background

Watson was born on September 14, 1995, in Gainesville, Georgia. Watson broke many state records when he played football for Gainesville High School. Watson enrolled at Clemson University in 2012. He was pursuing a degree in communication from the college and led the Clemson team to a National Championship win in 2016.

In 2015, he won the Davey O'Brien Award, which is awarded annually to the best college quarterback. He also won the award the following season, making him the second player to achieve this feat. In 2015, he was also named the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year. He has also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was the first repeat winner of the Manning Award. He finished his college career with 10,168 passing yards and 90 touchdown passes.

Who Drafted Deshaun Watson?

Deshaun Watson was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2017 NFL Draft. Watson was picked in the first round and he was the 12th overall pick of the Draft. Deshaun Watson was the third quarterback to be drafted in the 2017 NFL draft. The 2017 NFL Draft also included the likes of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, running back Alvin Kamara and strong safety Jamal Adams.

Deshaun Watson’s NFL Journey

Deshaun Watson signed a four-year deal with the Texans when he was drafted in 2017. He made his first appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars and threw his first touchdown pass in the NFL. Watson got his first start for the Texans against the Cincinnati Bengals and led them to a 13-9 victory. His rookie season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL on November 2. Watson returned from injury in fine form in 2018. 2019 saw Watson’s best performance in his professional career, as he finished the regular season with a career-high 4,165 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 551 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns.

He was named to his first Pro Bowl, replacing the Super Bowl-bound Tom Brady on January 21, 2019. As for the 2020 season, Watson led the NFL in passing yards, making him the first player on a team with at least 12 losses to lead the league in passing yards. Watson signed an extension with the Texans that kept him under contract till 2025. Watson was competing with Patrick Mahomes for the NFL all-time regular-season passer rating record. Watson finished his 2020 season with the most passing yards in NFL history (4823). His season was, by all major statistical measures, the best in franchise history, leading in passing touchdowns, passing yards, and passer rating.

More than two dozen female massage therapists filed a lawsuit against Watson in 2021, alleging sexual assault and harassment. Watson has settled 20 allegations of sexual misconduct while denying any wrongdoing. Watson missed the whole 2021 season due to disagreements with the Texans' front management and many sexual misconduct claims, which ultimately resulted in a trade to the Browns in 2022.

Watson was drafted to the Cleveland Browns in March 2022 from the Texans. He was traded along with the Texans’ 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for the Browns' first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as the Browns' third-round pick in 2023 and fourth-round picks in 2022.

Deshaun Watson’s Teams

Houston Texans (2017-2021)

Watson was the 12th overall pick in 2017. The Houston Texans picked him in the first round of the Draft. Deshaun Watson hit the ground running for the Texans since he made his debut, and in his fourth week with the Texans, he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, then AFC Offensive Player of the Month. He has made it to 3 Pro-Bowls for his performance with the Texans. He helped the Texans win back-to-back divisional championships in 2018 and 2019.

Cleveland Browns (2022-Present)

Watson received a new, fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns as part of the trade, which at the time was the most guaranteed contract in NFL history. The NFL Players Association and the league were involved in a conspiracy scandal that was made public in July 2025 as a result of the contract's complete guarantee. A few days later, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell and chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter resigned.

Watson finished the 2023 season, starting in six games, finishing with seven touchdowns and four interceptions, and 1,115 passing yards. He underwent surgery and returned for the 2024 season. His comeback in the 2024 season didn't go according to plan, and after 7 games, he suffered an achilles tendon injury and missed the remainder of the 2024 season. He is also missing the 2025 season because of the surgery he went through for his ruptured achilles.

What happened after the sexual allegations?

Watson's endorsement contracts with Nike and Beats by Dre were suspended. A grand jury decided not to indict Watson on criminal allegations about "harassment and sexual misconduct" on March 11, 2022. He was still the target of 22 legal cases on that date, many of which claimed assault and sexual misconduct.

On August 18, 2022, the NFL declared that Watson will be suspended for 11 games, pay a record $5 million fine, be evaluated by behavioral specialists, and finish a treatment program in response to these allegations. A further $2 million will be paid to organizations that fight sexual assault in addition to his fine.

Championships and Rings Won by Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson has yet to win any rings in the NFL.

Deshaun Watson Awards and Honors

Deshaun Watson NFL Records

• Most passing touchdowns in a single game by a rookie quarterback: 5 (tied with Ray Buivid, Matthew Stafford, Jameis Winston, Daniel Jones, and C. J. Stroud)
• Most passing touchdowns in a calendar month by a rookie quarterback: 16
• Most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in one half: 4
• First player in NFL history to pass for 400+ yards, throw 4+ TD passes, and rush for 50+ yards in a single game. (Week 8, 2017)
• Longest streak of games with 3 or more passing touchdowns by a rookie in NFL history: 4
• Most completions with a perfect passer rating: 28
• Most attempts with a perfect passer rating: 33

Deshaun Watson Net Worth

The net worth of American professional football player Deshaun Watson is $60 million.

Deshaun Watson Family

Deshaun Watson is close to his mother and three siblings. His father was absent since he was a child and has not kept in contact with him.

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