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Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national championship in 2016. Watson was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Houston Texans.
After having a productive rookie season cut short by injury, Watson guided the Texans to consecutive division titles in 2018 and 2019 and led the league in passing yards in 2020. He also received Pro Bowl honors in each of his three seasons as Houston's primary starter. He is currently 11th in career completion percentage (minimum 1,500 attempts) and is sixth in all-time career passer rating.
In 2021, Watson was sued by more than two dozen female massage therapists for sexual harassment and sexual assault. Watson has denied any wrongdoing while settling 20 claims of sexual misconduct. Disagreements with the Texans' front office, and multiple sexual-misconduct lawsuits, kept Watson out for the entire 2021 season and eventually led to a trade to the Browns in 2022. With Cleveland, Watson signed a five-year contract worth $230 million, one of the largest contracts in NFL history.
During his high-school career, Watson set numerous state records, including those for total yards (17,134), total touchdowns (218), career passing yards (13,077) and career passing touchdowns (155). He rushed for 4,057 yards and 63 touchdowns. Watson excelled in his junior year, winning a state championship and earning accolades such as Junior All-American, 2014 Player to Watch and 2014 Top 100 Recruit. During his sophomore and senior years, Watson led Gainesville to the state semifinals.
Watson received offers from numerous colleges before verbally committing to Clemson University on February 1, 2012. He was ranked as the top quarterback recruit for the 2014 class by ESPN 300.
On October 11, 2014, Watson broke a bone in his right hand in the first quarter of a game against the Louisville Cardinals. As a result of the injury, he missed games against Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest. He returned for a game against Georgia Tech only to suffer an LCL strain, missing most of the game. He did not play against Georgia State the following week, but led Clemson to a victory over state Palmetto Bowl South Carolina the following week. It was revealed that Watson had played the game with a torn ACL in his left knee. He underwent surgery the Friday before Clemson's bowl game against Oklahoma.
The Tigers were selected to participate in the 2016 College Football Playoff as the #1 seed. They faced the #4 seed Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl, one of the two College Football Playoff semifinal games. Watson threw for 189 yards and a touchdown and ran for 145 yards and a touchdown as he led Clemson to a 37–17 victory, earning game MVP honors.
With the win, the Tigers advanced to the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship game against the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide, but Clemson lost 45–40. Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns in the game and ran for 73 yards in the losing effort, though he surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark. He set the record for most total yards in national championship game history, with 478 yards (405 passing / 73 rushing) against the nation's best defense. In addition to throwing for over 4,000 yards, he also rushed for over 1,000 yards to complete his true sophomore season. Watson was the first player to accomplish this feat in the history of college football.
For his accomplishments during the 2015 season, Watson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the first time that a Clemson player had been invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation. He finished third in the balloting after Heisman winner Derrick Henry, an Alabama running back, and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey. Watson's third-place finish was the highest in Clemson football history. He won the Davey O'Brien Award, which is awarded annually to the top college quarterback. He was also named the 2015 ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year.
In the fall of 2016, Watson became the first player since Jason White in 2003–2004 to win the Davey O'Brien Award in consecutive years. He was also named winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was the first repeat winner of the Manning Award. For the second consecutive year, Watson was named one of the five Heisman Trophy candidates, along with Michigan's Jabrill Peppers, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook and Louisville's Lamar Jackson. He again came up short, as Louisville's Lamar Jackson was awarded the Heisman Trophy, finishing with nearly twice as many first-place votes as had Watson.
After defeating Ohio State 31–0 in the CFP semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl and receiving the offensive MVP award, Clemson defeated No. 1 Alabama 35–31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. Watson completed 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns against the nation's top-ranked defense, including the last-second game-winning pass to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. He also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown. The win marked Clemson's second national championship, ending a three-decade national-championship drought. Watson was named the game's offensive MVP.
On November 8, 2016, Watson, along with three other Clemson players, Wayne Gallman, Artavis Scott and Mike Williams, declared for the NFL draft. In December, Watson graduated with a degree in communications after three years at Clemson.
Watson made his first career start on September 14, his 22nd birthday, in an away game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He finished with 125 passing yards, 67 rushing yards and a 49-yard rushing touchdown as the Texans won 13–9. In Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans, he completed 25 of 34 passes for 283 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception while also rushing for 24 yards and a touchdown as the Texans won 57–14. His five total scores tied the NFL rookie touchdown record. He also became the first rookie to pass for at least four touchdowns and rush for one touchdown in a game since Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton in . His performance earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Watson followed up his Week 4 performance with another great outing against the Kansas City Chiefs. In the 42–34 loss, Watson finished 16-of-31 for 261 yards and five touchdown passes, tying an NFL rookie record for touchdown passes thrown in a single game. He also rushed for 31 yards. In Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks, Watson posted his first game with over 400 passing yards. He finished with 402 passing yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions and 67 rushing yards, though the Texans lost 41–38. Watson threw 16 touchdowns in the month of October, setting the NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie in a calendar month. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October.
On November 2, Watson tore his ACL on a non-contact play during practice, prematurely ending his rookie season. In seven games (six starts) during his rookie year, Watson amassed 1,699 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. On November 8, Watson underwent successful surgery on his right knee to repair his ACL, and no further damage was reported. Watson was ranked 50th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018 list. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, becoming the second Texans quarterback to receive the award since David Carr had done so in 2002.
Watson finished the regular season with a career-high 4,165 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 551 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns, as Houston went 11–5 and won the AFC South title. Watson led the league in average time spent in the pocket and was second in average time before throwing. Watson faced the most dropbacks under pressure (281) and tied for the fifth-most times sacked in a single season with 62.
In Watson's first postseason appearance, the Texans hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the . Watson completed 29 of 49 passes for 235 yards as the Texans lost 21–7.
On January 21, 2019, Watson was named to his first Pro Bowl, replacing the Super Bowl-bound Tom Brady. He was ranked 51st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019 list.
In the against the Buffalo Bills, Watson led the Texans back from a 16–0 deficit to win 22–19 in overtime, his first NFL playoff victory, despite being sacked seven times. He sealed the game by spinning out of a potential sack by two Bills defenders and finding Taiwan Jones, who ran to the Buffalo 10-yard line to set up the game-winning field goal in overtime. He finished the game with 247 passing yards and a touchdown along with 55 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. In the divisional round against the Chiefs, Watson threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 37 yards and a touchdown as the Texans lost on the road 51–31 after having blown a 24–0 second-quarter lead.
In the Week 1 NFL Kickoff Game against the Chiefs, Watson threw for 253 yards, one touchdown and one interception and rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown during a 34–20 loss. In Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, Watson threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans lost 23–31. In Week 11 against the Patriots, Watson threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 36 yards and another touchdown during a 27–20 win, earning the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. In Week 12, a 41–25 win over the Detroit Lions, Watson passed for 318 yards and four passing touchdowns. With his Week 12 performance, Watson briefly became the NFL's all-time regular-season career passer-rating leader before being surpassed five days later by Patrick Mahomes.
Watson was fined $7,500 by the Texans in December 2020 for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols after he and several teammates gathered at the opening of his new restaurant without wearing face masks. Watson finished the season with a pair of three-touchdown performances against the Bengals in Week 16 and the Titans in Week 18, but Houston lost both games.
In spite of the team's 4–12 record, Watson finished the 2020 season with a league-leading 4,823 passing yards, as well as 33 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. His season was, by all major statistical measures, the best in franchise history, leading in passing touchdowns, passing yards and passer rating. He became the first player to lead the league in passing yards on a team with at least 12 losses since Jeff George of the Oakland Raiders in 1997.
Despite not being officially suspended or placed on any reserve list, Watson was ruled out for every Texans game played in 2021 for "non-injury reasons/personal matter."
As a result of his sexual harassment allegations, Watson was suspended for six regular season games to start the 2022 season by arbiter Sue Lewis Robinson. He was allowed to participate in preseason activities, including preseason games. Two days later the NFL filed an appeal of the suspension, seeking to extend the suspension to at least a full season (17 regular season games), as well as seeking a fine and establishing a clause in which Watson would seek treatment for his conduct. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the NFL would seek a full-year suspension including the postseason, calling Watson's conduct "egregious" and "predatory behavior". The appeal was reviewed by former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey.
On August 18, 2022, after the NFL and the NFLPA reached a settlement, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 regular season and was fined $5 million.
On November 28, 2022, Watson was reinstated from his suspension and was officially added to the 53-man roster. In Week 13, Watson started against his former team, the Texans. In his first game in 700 days, Watson posted the worst passer rating of his NFL career at 53.4, throwing for 131 yards and one interception in the 27–14 win. Watson finished the 2022 season with a 3–3 record as starting quarterback, with 1,102 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions as he closed out the last six games of the season. The Browns finished with a 7–10 record, and Watson's passer rating of 79.1 for the season was the lowest of his career.
The next day, another massage therapist represented by Buzbee claimed that Watson had met her at the Houstonian Hotel in August 2020 and completely undressed and refused to cover up, directing her to massage his anus and penis and making a movement that caused her to touch his penis. The therapist also claims that Watson had only paid half of the charges due for her services.
On March 18, a third civil lawsuit was filed against Watson, alleging that he had forced a massage therapist to perform oral sex on him before she blacked out in an office building in December 2020. The therapist claims that after Watson left, she was shaken and defecated on herself. Also, on March 18, the NFL announced that it would investigate the sexual assault allegations made against Watson.
On March 19, Buzbee claimed that nine more civil suits had been filed against Watson (for a total of 12) and that 22 women contacted his office regarding Watson's conduct while receiving massages. Buzbee requested that the Houston Police Department and the Harris County, Texas, district attorney investigate the situation and pursue criminal charges against Watson. One of the nine new civil suits alleges that Watson attempted to kiss a woman forcibly, and another suit alleges that he had attempted to assault the same woman on two separate occasions.
On March 22, a 14th lawsuit was filed by a woman who called Watson a "serial predator". The incident allegedly occurred in California, just the second of the 14 allegations to occur outside the Houston area. The traveling massage therapist alleged that when she arrived at the address that Watson had provided, he led her to a room and "locked the doors behind him". After Watson allegedly "forced Plaintiff's hand onto his penis" during the massage, he allegedly told her, "I will not have you sign an NDA, but don't ever talk about this." The plaintiff also alleges that Watson reached out on Instagram in December, "acting as if nothing had happened".
By April 5, 22 lawsuits were filed against Watson. 18 professional massage therapists have since expressed support of his character, saying that the allegations contradict their experiences with Watson.
Tony Buzbee has stated that he was hesitant to send evidence to the Houston Police Department because Watson's lawyer Rusty Hardin has a son in the police force, instead alleging to send evidence from his clients "elsewhere" while also criticizing outgoing HPD chief Art Acevedo. Hardin and Acevedo have since criticized Buzbee's statements, with Hardin saying that he and his client would "always remain available to any law enforcement or regulatory agency who desires our cooperation". On April 2, the HPD announced an investigation of Watson after a complainant filed an official report.
On April 6, two of the 22 women who had filed lawsuits against Watson publicly identified themselves at a press conference. Ashley Solis, the first of the women to identify herself, claimed that during a massage appointment at her home, Watson exposed himself and touched her hand with his erect penis before she ended the session and asked him to leave. At a press conference, Solis said that she suffers from , anxiety and depression resulting from the sexual assault. She stated: "People say that I'm doing this just for money. That is false. I come forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman."
On April 9, Hardin claimed that some of Watson's massages did lead to some "sexual activity" but that it was consensual. That same day, two judges ruled that 13 of the 22 lawsuits must be refiled within two business days or risk dismissal and that four of the accusers must refile using their current names. Attorneys announced that 9 of the 12 women would reveal their names voluntarily. The judge granted Watson's attorneys' emergency motion requiring the release of the other accusers' names.
On September 9, 2024, Watson was sued for sexual assault and battery by a new accuser in Houston, who alleged that Watson penetrated her vagina without consent in several positions during a date in 2020.
On March 11, 2022, a grand jury declined to indict Watson on criminal charges related to "harassment and sexual misconduct". On that date he still faced 22 , many alleging sexual misconduct, and assault. As of August 1, 2022, all but one of the pending civil cases had been settled.
As a result of these accusations, the NFL announced on August 18, 2022, that Watson would be suspended for 11 games, pay a record $5 million fine, undergo evaluation by behavioral experts, and complete a treatment program. His fine and an additional $2 million will be donated to agencies that work to prevent sexual assault.
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