Deshaun Watson facts for kids

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Deshaun Watson

Watson with the Cleveland Browns in 2023

No. 4 – Cleveland Browns

Position:

Quarterback

Personal information

Born:

September 14, 1995 (age 29)
Gainesville, Georgia, U.S.

Height:

6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

Weight:

223 lb (101 kg)

Career information

High school:

Gainesville
(Gainesville, Georgia)

College:

Clemson (2014–2016)

NFL Draft:

2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12

Career history

Houston Texans (2017–2021)
Cleveland Browns (2022–present)

Roster status:

Active

Career highlights and awards

3× Pro Bowl (2018–2020)
NFL passing yards leader (2020)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2017)
CFP national champion (2016)
CFP National Championship Offensive MVP (2016)
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2016)
2× Davey O'Brien Award (2015, 2016)
2× Manning Award (2015, 2016)
Consensus All-American (2015)
Second-team All-American (2016)
2× ACC Athlete of the Year (2016, 2017)
ACC Player of the Year (2015)
ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2015)
First-team All-ACC (2015)
Second-team All-ACC (2016)

Career NFL statistics as of 2024

Passing attempts:	2,305
Passing completions:	1,527
Completion percentage:	66.2%
TD–INT:	123–48
Passing yards:	17,904
Passer rating:	98.8
Rushing yards:	2,142
Rushing touchdowns:	20

Player stats at PFR

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. He led his college team to a national championship in 2016. The Houston Texans picked Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

After a strong start to his NFL career, Watson led the Texans to win their division two years in a row (2018 and 2019). He also led the league in passing yards in 2020. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times while playing for Houston. In 2021, Watson did not play due to off-field issues. He was later traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2022. With the Browns, Watson signed a very large contract, one of the biggest in NFL history.

Early Life and High School Football

Deshaun Watson was born in Gainesville, Georgia, on September 14, 1995. He went to Gainesville High School. He played for the school's Red Elephants football team. Watson became the first freshman quarterback to start for his coach, Bruce Miller.

During high school, Watson set many state records. These included records for total yards (17,134) and total touchdowns (218). He also had 13,077 career passing yards and 155 career passing touchdowns. He ran for 4,057 yards and 63 touchdowns. In his junior year, Watson won a state championship. He was named a Junior All-American. Watson led Gainesville to the state semifinals in his sophomore and senior years.

Many colleges wanted Watson to play for them. He decided to commit to Clemson University in 2012. ESPN 300 ranked him as the top quarterback recruit for the 2014 class.

College Career at Clemson

Freshman Year (2014)

Watson started at Clemson in January 2014. He wore the number 4, which was special at Clemson. Even though he was a backup at first, he played a lot. He completed many passes and threw four touchdowns without any interceptions. Watson became the starting quarterback on September 21. In his first start, he set a school record with six touchdown passes. He threw for 435 yards in a 50–35 win.

Later that season, Watson broke a bone in his right hand. This made him miss several games. He came back but then hurt his knee. It was later found that he played a game with a torn ACL in his left knee. He had surgery on his knee before Clemson's bowl game.

Sophomore Year (2015)

In 2015, Watson led Clemson to a perfect 12–0 regular season. They were ranked #1 in the country. The Tigers then played in the ACC Championship Game. Watson threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Clemson won 45–37, their first ACC championship since 2011. Watson was named the MVP of the ACC Championship Game.

Clemson was chosen as the #1 seed for the 2016 College Football Playoff. They won their semifinal game against Oklahoma. Watson threw for 189 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 145 yards and a touchdown. He earned game MVP honors.

The Tigers then played in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship game. They faced #2 Alabama. Clemson lost 45–40, but Watson played a great game. He threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 73 yards. He set a record for most total yards in a national championship game. Watson was the first college football player to pass for over 4,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in one season.

Watson was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy for his amazing 2015 season. This was the first time a Clemson player was invited to the Heisman ceremony. He finished third in the voting. He won the Davey O'Brien Award, given to the best college quarterback. He was also named the ACC Player of the Year.

Junior Year (2016)

Watson in 2016

Watson started his junior season well. He threw for 248 yards and a touchdown in a close win. On October 1, he threw for 306 yards and five touchdowns against Louisville. He also had 378 passing yards and two touchdowns against Florida State. On November 26, he threw for 347 yards and six touchdowns against South Carolina.

In 2016, Watson won the Davey O'Brien Award for the second year in a row. He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. For the second straight year, Watson was a Heisman Trophy candidate. He finished second in the voting.

Clemson beat Ohio State 31–0 in the CFP semifinal game. Watson was the offensive MVP. Then, Clemson beat #1 Alabama 35–31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. Watson completed 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns. He threw the game-winning pass with seconds left. He also ran for 43 yards and a touchdown. This win gave Clemson their second national championship. Watson was named the game's offensive MVP.

On November 8, 2016, Watson decided to enter the NFL Draft. In December, he graduated from Clemson with a degree in communications.

College Statistics

Season	Passing								Rushing
Season	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2014	93	137	67.9	1,466	10.7	14	2	188.6	63	200	3.2	5
2015	333	491	67.8	4,109	8.4	35	13	156.3	207	1,105	5.3	12
2016	388	579	67.0	4,593	7.9	41	17	151.1	165	629	3.8	9
Career	814	1,207	67.4	10,168	8.4	90	32	157.5	435	1,934	4.4	26

Professional Career

NFL Draft

Most experts thought Watson would be picked in the first round of the NFL draft. He was ranked as one of the top quarterbacks available.

Pre-draft measurables
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	Wonderlic
6 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1.89 m)	221 lb (100 kg)	33 in (0.84 m)	9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m)	4.66 s	1.53 s	2.72 s	4.31 s	6.95 s	32.5 in (0.83 m)	9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)	20
All values from NFL Combine

The Houston Texans picked Watson 12th overall in the 2017 NFL draft. They traded up to get this pick. Watson was the third quarterback chosen in that draft.

Houston Texans

2017 Season

On May 12, 2017, the Texans signed Watson to a four-year contract. He played his first regular-season game on September 10, 2017. He came into the game in the second half. He threw his first NFL touchdown pass in that game.

Watson made his first start on his 22nd birthday, September 14. He threw for 125 yards and ran for 67 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run. The Texans won 13–9. In Week 4, he threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown. His five total touchdowns tied an NFL rookie record. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 8, Watson threw for over 400 yards. He had four touchdowns, but the Texans lost. He set an NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie in one month with 16.

On November 2, Watson tore a ligament in his knee during practice. This ended his rookie season early. In seven games, he had 1,699 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Watson had surgery on his knee. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

2018 Season

Watson in Denver in 2018

Watson returned from his injury in the season opener on September 9. He threw for 176 yards and a touchdown. Later, he played a game after suffering broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. He traveled by bus to the game to avoid air pressure issues. He threw for 139 yards and a touchdown in a 20–7 win. The next week, Watson tied his career high with five touchdowns.

Watson finished the 2018 season with 4,165 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He also rushed for 551 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Texans won their division with an 11–5 record. In his first playoff game, the Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Watson was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.

2019 Season

Watson alongside Ryan Tannehill at the 2020 Pro Bowl

In the first game of 2019, Watson threw for three touchdowns and rushed for one. In Week 3, he threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Two weeks later, he threw for 426 yards and five touchdowns. He had a perfect passer rating in a 53–32 win. He won another AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. In Week 8, he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He even threw a touchdown pass while being kicked in the eye.

In Week 13, Watson threw for three touchdowns and caught one himself. He helped the Texans win their division again with a 10–6 record. He finished the season with 3,852 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns. He also had 413 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

In the Wild Card playoff game, Watson led the Texans to a comeback win. They were down 16–0 but won 22–19 in overtime. He escaped a potential sack to set up the game-winning field goal. In the next round, the Texans lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

2020 Season

On September 5, 2020, Watson signed a big contract extension. It was one of the largest contracts in NFL history at the time. In Week 5, Watson threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns. This was the Texans' first win of the season. In Week 6, he threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns. In Week 11, he threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for another touchdown, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Watson finished the 2020 season with 4,823 passing yards, the most in the NFL. He also had 33 touchdowns. This was his best season statistically. He was the first player to lead the league in passing yards on a team with many losses since 1997.

2021 Season

Watson was part of the Texans' team roster for the 2021 season. However, he did not play in any games that year. He was ruled out for "non-injury reasons/personal matter."

Cleveland Browns

2022 Season

Watson with the Cleveland Browns during training camp in 2022

On March 18, 2022, Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns gave up several draft picks for him. As part of the trade, Watson signed a new, fully guaranteed contract. This was the largest contract in NFL history at the time.

Due to a league investigation, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season. He was also fined $5 million. He was allowed to join the team again on November 28, 2022. In Week 13, Watson started his first game for the Browns. He played against his former team, the Houston Texans. He threw for 131 yards in the 27–14 win.

2023 Season

In Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens, Watson hurt his right shoulder. He finished the game, but later it was found he had a broken bone. On November 15, the Browns announced that Watson would need surgery. This meant he would miss the rest of the 2023 season. He finished the season starting in six games. He had seven touchdowns and 1,115 passing yards. Watson had surgery on November 21 and is expected to be ready for the 2024 season.

2024 Season

In Week 1 against the Cowboys, Watson threw for 169 yards and one touchdown. He also threw two interceptions. Through five games, Watson had a low Total Quarterback Rating (QBR). The Browns' coach said Watson would continue to start. On October 20, Watson suffered a non-contact leg injury. The next day, it was confirmed to be an Achilles tear. This injury forced him to miss the rest of the 2024 season. Watson had Achilles surgery on October 25. With Watson as quarterback, the Browns had a 1–6 record.

2025 Season

On January 9, 2025, Watson had surgery again. He suffered another tear to his right Achilles tendon. This injury might keep him out for the entire 2025 season.

NFL Career Statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular Season

Year	Team	Games			Passing									Rushing					Sacks		Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Record	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Sck	SckY	Fum	Lost
2017	HOU	7	6	3–3	126	204	61.8	1,699	8.3	72	19	8	103.0	36	269	7.5	49	2	19	116	3	1
2018	HOU	16	16	11–5	345	505	68.3	4,165	8.2	73	26	9	103.1	99	551	5.6	34	5	62	384	9	3
2019	HOU	15	15	10–5	333	495	67.3	3,852	7.8	54	26	12	98.0	82	413	5.0	30	7	44	257	10	3
2020	HOU	16	16	4–12	382	544	70.2	4,823	8.9	77	33	7	112.4	90	444	4.9	16	3	49	293	8	3
2021	HOU	0	0	—	DNP
2022	CLE	6	6	3–3	99	170	58.2	1,102	6.5	46	7	5	79.1	36	175	4.9	21	1	20	106	1	0
2023	CLE	6	6	5–1	105	171	61.4	1,115	6.5	59	7	4	84.3	26	142	5.5	16	1	17	85	5	2
2024	CLE	7	7	1–6	137	216	63.4	1,148	5.3	35	5	3	79.0	31	148	4.8	16	1	33	191	5	3
Career		73	72	37–35	1,527	2,305	66.2	17,904	7.8	77	123	48	98.8	400	2,142	5.4	49	20	244	1,432	41	15

Postseason

Year	Team	Games			Passing									Rushing					Sacks		Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Record	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Sck	SckY	Fum	Lost
2018	HOU	1	1	0–1	29	49	59.2	235	4.8	20	1	1	69.7	8	76	9.5	21	0	3	18	0	0
2019	HOU	2	2	1–1	51	77	66.2	635	8.2	54	3	0	104.6	20	92	4.6	20	2	11	54	1	0
2023	CLE	0	0	—	Did not play due to injury
Career		3	3	1–2	80	126	63.5	870	6.9	54	4	1	91.0	28	168	6.0	21	2	14	72	1	0

Records and Achievements

NFL Records

Most passing touchdowns in a single game by a rookie quarterback: 5 (tied with others)
Most passing touchdowns in a calendar month by a rookie quarterback: 16
Most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in one half: 4 (tied with others)
First player in NFL history to pass for 400+ yards, throw 4+ touchdowns, and rush for 50+ yards in one game.
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 (tied with Jared Goff)

Houston Texans Team Records

Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass: 20
Most passing yards in a game by a rookie: 402
Highest passer rating in a season: 112.4
First rookie quarterback with 3+ touchdown passes in a game
First rookie quarterback to throw for 300+ yards
First quarterback to score touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) in his first two games
First quarterback to record 300+ passing yards and 40+ rushing yards in a single game
Most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback: 17

Personal Life

Deshaun Watson is a Christian. In 2006, when Watson was 11, former NFL player Warrick Dunn helped Watson's family get a new home. In 2017, Watson gave his first NFL game check to three cafeteria workers. They were affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Images for kids

Watson with the Cleveland Browns in 2023
Watson in 2016
Watson in Denver in 2018
Watson alongside Ryan Tannehill at the 2020 Pro Bowl
Watson with the Cleveland Browns during training camp in 2022