Ben Watson (American football) facts for kids
Watson with the New Orleans Saints in 2015
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | December 18, 1980 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Northwestern (Rock Hill, South Carolina) |
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| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 32 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Benjamin Seth Watson (born December 18, 1980) is a former professional football player. He played as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). Benjamin played college football for the Duke Blue Devils and Georgia Bulldogs.
The New England Patriots picked Watson in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl XXXIX with the Patriots in his first year. He also played for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints.
Contents
- Early Life and High School
- College Football Career
- Professional Football Career
- NFL Career Statistics
- Personal Life
Early Life and High School
Benjamin Watson was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He went to Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He was a great player in both football and track.
In football, he caught 31 passes for 515 yards in his senior year. He helped his team win the state championship when he was a junior. Benjamin was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In track, he was a fast sprinter.
College Football Career
Watson first played football at Duke University. Later, he moved to the University of Georgia. There, he studied finance. In three seasons at Georgia, he had 65 catches for 852 yards. He also scored 6 touchdowns.
College Statistics
Here are Benjamin Watson's college football stats:
| Season | Receiving | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 1999 | 8 | 93 | 11.6 | 1 |
| 2001 | 11 | 187 | 17.0 | 1 |
| 2002 | 31 | 341 | 11.0 | 3 |
| 2003 | 23 | 324 | 14.1 | 2 |
| Career | 73 | 945 | 12.9 | 7 |
Professional Football Career
Getting Ready for the NFL Draft
Before the NFL Draft, Benjamin Watson showed off his skills at the NFL combine. He got a very high score on the Wonderlic test. This test measures how quickly a player can learn and solve problems. Scouts were very impressed with him. They thought he would be one of the best tight ends in the draft.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.92 m) |
258 lb (117 kg) |
32+3⁄4 in (0.83 m) |
10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) |
4.53 s | 1.61 s | 2.68 s | 4.11 s | 7.38 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) |
10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) |
34 reps | 48 |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
New England Patriots (First Time)
2004 Season: A Super Bowl Win
The New England Patriots chose Watson as the 32nd player in the 2004 NFL Draft. He was the second tight end picked that year. Watson signed a six-year contract with the Patriots.
He started as the team's tight end. However, he got a knee injury early in the season. He missed the rest of the year. Even though he was injured, the Patriots had a great season. They won Super Bowl XXXIX, and Watson received a Super Bowl ring.
2005 Season: A Famous Play
In 2005, Watson returned as the main tight end. He scored his first NFL touchdown in October. It was a 33-yard pass from quarterback Tom Brady. He finished the season with 29 catches and four touchdowns.
In the playoffs, Watson made a famous play. He ran the length of the field to tackle Champ Bailey. This stop prevented a touchdown and is still remembered as a great play.
2006-2009 Seasons: Key Player
Watson continued to be a key player for the Patriots. In 2006, he had 49 catches and three touchdowns. The Patriots made it to the AFC Championship game.
In 2007, he had his best year for touchdowns, scoring six. The Patriots had a perfect 16–0 regular season record. They reached Super Bowl XLII but lost to the New York Giants. Watson played in 14 games in 2008 and 16 games in 2009. He scored five touchdowns in 2009. After the 2009 season, he became a free agent.
Cleveland Browns
2010-2012 Seasons: Leading the Team
In 2010, the Cleveland Browns signed Watson. He started all 16 games for the first time in his career. He led the team with 68 catches and 763 receiving yards. He also scored three touchdowns.
In 2011 and 2012, Watson continued to play for the Browns. He had some injuries in 2011. In 2012, he played all 16 games again. He finished that season with 48 catches and three touchdowns.
New Orleans Saints (First Time)
2013-2015 Seasons: Strong Performances
The New Orleans Saints signed Watson in 2013. He became a backup tight end but still made important plays. He caught his first touchdown for the Saints from quarterback Drew Brees.
In 2015, Watson became the starting tight end for the Saints. He had an amazing season, catching a career-high 74 passes for 825 yards. He also scored six touchdowns. People called one of his games "The Ben Watson Game" because he played so well. After this season, he was a finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. This award honors players who are great on the field and in the community.
Baltimore Ravens
2016-2017 Seasons: Overcoming Injury
In 2016, Watson signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Sadly, he tore his Achilles tendon during a preseason game. This injury meant he missed the entire 2016 season.
He came back strong in 2017. He played all 16 games and had 61 catches for 522 yards. He scored four touchdowns. For the second time, he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
New Orleans Saints (Second Time)
In 2018, Watson returned to the New Orleans Saints. He caught Drew Brees' 500th career touchdown pass. This was a big moment in NFL history. That same year, Watson won the Bart Starr Award. This award goes to an NFL player who shows great character and leadership. In December 2018, Watson announced he would retire after 15 seasons.
New England Patriots (Second Time)
In May 2019, Watson decided to come out of retirement. He signed with the New England Patriots again, the team that first drafted him. He faced a suspension for the season's first four games. He made his 2019 debut in October. Watson played in 10 games that season. He retired from football for good in March 2020.
NFL Career Statistics
Here are Benjamin Watson's NFL career stats:
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | |||||||
| 2004 | NE | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2005 | NE | 15 | 9 | 29 | 441 | 15.2 | 35 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2006 | NE | 13 | 13 | 49 | 643 | 13.1 | 40 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 2007 | NE | 12 | 8 | 36 | 389 | 10.8 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2008 | NE | 14 | 9 | 22 | 209 | 9.5 | 29 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2009 | NE | 16 | 7 | 29 | 404 | 13.9 | 36 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2010 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 68 | 763 | 11.2 | 44 | 3 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2011 | CLE | 13 | 11 | 37 | 410 | 11.1 | 34 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2012 | CLE | 16 | 14 | 49 | 501 | 10.2 | 27 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2013 | NO | 15 | 7 | 19 | 226 | 11.9 | 32 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2014 | NO | 16 | 8 | 20 | 136 | 6.8 | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | NO | 16 | 16 | 74 | 825 | 11.1 | 46 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2016 | BAL | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | BAL | 16 | 12 | 61 | 522 | 8.6 | 33 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2018 | NO | 16 | 4 | 35 | 400 | 11.4 | 32 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2019 | NE | 10 | 8 | 17 | 173 | 10.2 | 26 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Career | 205 | 143 | 547 | 6,058 | 11.1 | 46 | 44 | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 5 | ||||||
| Sources: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Post Season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | |||||||
| 2004 | NE | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | NE | 2 | 2 | 5 | 91 | 18.2 | 63 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2006 | NE | 3 | 2 | 10 | 81 | 8.1 | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2007 | NE | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2009 | NE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2013 | NO | 2 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 27 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2018 | NO | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2019 | NE | 1 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 21 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Career | 13 | 9 | 25 | 272 | 10.9 | 63 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Sources: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal Life
Benjamin Watson is married to Kirsten Vaughn Watson. They have seven children, including a set of twins. Benjamin is a very religious person. He often talks about his Christian faith.
In 2014, Benjamin wrote a popular Facebook post. It was about race in America. The post was "liked" over 850,000 times. In 2015, he released a book called Under Our Skin. It talks about getting real about race.
Since 2021, Watson has worked as a college football analyst. You can see him on the SEC Network of ESPN. He appears on shows like SEC Now and SEC Football Final.
