History of Deshaun Watson in Timeline

Deshaun Watson is a professional American football quarterback currently playing for the Cleveland Browns. He gained prominence during his college career with the Clemson Tigers, where he led the team to a national championship in 2016. Subsequently, he was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, marking the beginning of his professional career.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1961: Fran Tarkenton Rookie Season

In Week 4 of 2017 against the Tennessee Titans, Watson 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 1961.

September 14, 1995: Deshaun Watson Born

On September 14, 1995, Derrick Deshaun Watson was born. He later became a professional football quarterback.

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1997: Jeff George Led the League in Passing Yards

In 2020, Watson 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.

2002: PFWA All-Rookie Team

In 2018, Watson 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.

2003: Jason White Won Davey O'Brien Award

In 2016, Watson became the first player since Jason White in 2003-2004 to win the Davey O'Brien Award in consecutive years.

2004: Jason White Won Davey O'Brien Award

In 2016, Watson became the first player since Jason White in 2003-2004 to win the Davey O'Brien Award in consecutive years.

2006: Home Donated by Warrick Dunn

In 2006, when Deshaun Watson was 11, Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn donated a home to Watson's family through Dunn's charity Homes for the Holidays, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

2006: Sportradar began tracking air yards

In Week 1 against the Cowboys, Watson became the first quarterback since 2006, when Sportradar began tracking air yards, to have 10+ passes thrown 15 or more yards downfield with zero completions.

2010: Attended Gainesville High School

In the fall of 2010, Deshaun Watson began attending Gainesville High School and playing for the school's football team, the Red Elephants, and became the first-ever freshman starting quarterback.

2011: Clemson's First ACC Championship Since 2011

In 2015, Watson led the Tigers to a 45–37 win against North Carolina, marking Clemson's first ACC championship since 2011. Watson was also named the ACC Championship Game MVP.

February 1, 2012: Commits to Clemson University

On February 1, 2012, Deshaun Watson verbally committed to Clemson University for college football.

January 2014: Enrolled at Clemson

In January 2014, Deshaun Watson enrolled at Clemson University. He was allowed to wear #4 after Steve Fuller allowed Watson to use the number after it had been retired.

October 11, 2014: Broke Hand Against Louisville

On October 11, 2014, Deshaun Watson broke a bone in his right hand during a game against the Louisville Cardinals.

2014: Player to Watch and Top 100 Recruit

In 2014, Deshaun Watson earned accolades such as Junior All-American, 2014 Player to Watch and 2014 Top 100 Recruit during his junior year.

2014: Ranked as Top Quarterback Recruit

In 2014, Deshaun Watson was ranked as the top quarterback recruit for the 2014 class by ESPN 300.

2015: Heisman Trophy Finalist

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 won the Davey O'Brien Award, and was named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

2015: Led Clemson to Undefeated Regular Season

In 2015, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to an undefeated 12–0 regular season and a #1 ranking in the polls.

November 8, 2016: Declared for NFL Draft

On November 8, 2016, Deshaun Watson, along with three other Clemson players, declared for the NFL draft.

2016: Orange Bowl Victory

In 2016, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to a 37–17 victory against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl, one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games, earning game MVP honors.

2016: Led Clemson to National Championship

In 2016, Deshaun Watson led the Clemson Tigers to a national championship in college football.

2016: College Football Playoff National Championship

In 2016, Deshaun Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 73 yards in the College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama, though Clemson lost 45-40. He set the record for most total yards in a national championship game history.

2016: Won Davey O'Brien Award

In the fall of 2016, Deshaun 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.

May 12, 2017: Signed Contract with Texans

On May 12, 2017, the Houston Texans signed Deshaun Watson to a four-year, $13.84 million contract featuring an $8.21 million signing bonus.

September 10, 2017: First Regular-Season Appearance

On September 10, 2017, Deshaun Watson made his first regular-season appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing his first NFL touchdown, a four-yard pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

2017: Clemson Wins National Championship

In 2017, Clemson defeated No. 1 Alabama 35–31 in the College Football Playoff National Championship. The win marked Clemson's second national championship, ending a three-decade national-championship drought. Watson was named the game's offensive MVP.

2017: Donation to NRG Stadium Employees

In 2017, Deshaun Watson donated his first NFL game check of approximately $27,000 to three NRG Stadium cafeteria employees affected by Hurricane Harvey.

2017: Drafted by Houston Texans

In 2017, Deshaun Watson was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Houston Texans.

2018: Texans Traded First Round Pick

In 2017, the Houston Texans acquired the pick to draft Watson from the Cleveland Browns, trading their 25th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and their first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

2018: Guided Texans to Division Title

In 2018, Deshaun Watson guided the Houston Texans to a division title.

2018: Ranked 50th in NFL Top 100

In 2018, Deshaun Watson was ranked 50th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018 list.

January 21, 2019: Named to First Pro Bowl

On January 21, 2019, Deshaun Watson was named to his first Pro Bowl, replacing Tom Brady.

2019: Guided Texans to Division Title

In 2019, Deshaun Watson led the Houston Texans to a consecutive division title.

March 2020: Alleged Misconduct Incident

In March 2020, Deshaun Watson allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct during a massage session, according to a civil lawsuit filed on March 16, 2021. The massage therapist claimed Watson touched her with the tip of his erect penis while asking her for sex during a visit to her home for treatment.

April 28, 2020: Texans Exercised Fifth-Year Option

On April 28, 2020, the Texans exercised the fifth-year option on Watson's contract.

August 2020: Second Alleged Misconduct Incident

In August 2020, another massage therapist claimed Deshaun Watson met her at the Houstonian Hotel and engaged in inappropriate behavior, including undressing completely, directing her to massage his anus and penis, and only paying half of the charges for her services.

December 2020: Fined for COVID-19 Protocol Violation

In December 2020, Deshaun Watson was fined $7,500 by the Texans 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.

December 2020: Third Civil Lawsuit and NFL Investigation

In December 2020, a massage therapist alleged that Deshaun Watson forced her to perform oral sex on him before she blacked out. On March 18, 2021, a third civil lawsuit was filed against Watson based on this incident. Also, on March 18, 2021, the NFL announced that it would investigate the sexual assault allegations made against Watson.

2020: Led League in Passing Yards

Despite the team's 4-12 record, Deshaun Watson finished the 2020 season with a league-leading 4,823 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.

2020: Trade Request and Texans' Standoff

In 2020, Deshaun Watson requested a trade from the Texans due to dissatisfaction with front office and coaching staff changes. The Texans were unwilling to negotiate, leading to a standoff complicated by emerging sexual harassment allegations. Watson attended OTA activities and training camp on a limited basis and was named to the 53-man roster. General Manager Nick Caserio addressed the situation by stating he would handle it "one day at a time."

2020: Alleged Assault in Houston

In 2020, Watson allegedly assaulted a woman in Houston, penetrating her vagina without consent in several positions during a date, according to a lawsuit filed on September 9, 2024.

March 16, 2021: First Civil Lawsuit Filed

On March 16, 2021, a Houston massage therapist, represented by attorney Tony Buzbee, filed a civil lawsuit against Deshaun Watson, alleging sexual misconduct during a massage session in March 2020. Watson denied the claims.

April 7, 2021: Endorsement Deals Suspended

On April 7, 2021, Nike and Beats By Dre suspended endorsement deals with Deshaun Watson. Reliant Energy and H-E-B stated that they did not plan on engaging with Watson in the future.

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2021: Sexual Misconduct Allegations and Inactivity

In 2021, Deshaun Watson faced multiple sexual-misconduct lawsuits and disagreements with the Texans' front office, which kept him out for the entire season.

2021: Watson Ruled Out of Games

In 2021, Deshaun Watson was ruled out for every Texans game for "non-injury reasons/personal matter," despite not being officially suspended or placed on a reserve list.

March 11, 2022: Grand Jury Declines to Indict

On March 11, 2022, a grand jury declined to indict Deshaun Watson on criminal charges related to "harassment and sexual misconduct". At that time, he still faced 22 civil lawsuits.

March 18, 2022: Watson Traded to the Browns

On March 18, 2022, Deshaun Watson and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick were traded from the Texans to the Browns. In return, the Browns gave up their first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as their third-round pick in 2023 and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024. As part of the trade, Watson signed a new, fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns.

August 1, 2022: Settlement of Civil Cases

As of August 1, 2022, all but one of the pending civil cases against Deshaun Watson had been settled.

August 18, 2022: NFL and NFLPA Reach Settlement

On August 18, 2022, the NFL and the NFLPA reached a settlement regarding Deshaun Watson's suspension. Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 regular season and fined $5 million.

November 28, 2022: Watson Reinstated and Returns to Play

On November 28, 2022, Deshaun Watson was reinstated from his suspension and added to the 53-man roster. He started against his former team, the Texans, in Week 13, posting the worst passer rating of his NFL career at 53.4. He finished the 2022 season with a 3-3 record, 1,102 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. The Browns finished with a 7-10 record, and Watson's season passer rating was 79.1.

2022: Suspension for Sexual Harassment Allegations

In 2022, Deshaun Watson was suspended for six regular season games by arbiter Sue Lewis Robinson due to sexual harassment allegations. He was allowed to participate in preseason activities. The NFL appealed the suspension, seeking a longer suspension, a fine, and a treatment clause. Commissioner Roger Goodell sought a full-year suspension, calling Watson's conduct "egregious" and "predatory behavior." The appeal was reviewed by former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey.

2022: Traded to the Cleveland Browns

In 2022, Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns and signed a five-year contract worth $230 million.

2023: Draft Picks Traded

In 2023, as part of the Deshaun Watson trade to the Browns, the Texans received the Browns' first-round and third-round draft picks.

September 9, 2024: New Sexual Assault Lawsuit Filed

On September 9, 2024, Deshaun Watson was sued for sexual assault and battery by a new accuser in Houston. The accuser alleged that Watson penetrated her vagina without consent during a date in 2020.

2024: Expected Full Recovery

Deshaun Watson underwent surgery on November 21, 2023, with the expectation of being fully recovered before the 2024 NFL season.

2024: Season-Ending Injury

During the Browns' Week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 20, 2023, Deshaun Watson suffered a non-contact leg injury, later confirmed as an Achilles tear, which forced him to miss the remainder of the 2023 season. With Watson as quarterback, the Browns had a 1-6 record. He underwent Achilles surgery on October 25, 2023.

2024: Draft Picks Traded

In 2024, as part of the Deshaun Watson trade to the Browns, the Texans received the Browns' first-round, fourth-round, and sixth-round draft picks.

January 9, 2025: Achilles Re-Rupture and Surgery

On January 9, 2025, Deshaun Watson underwent surgery after suffering a re-rupture to his right Achilles tendon, potentially sidelining him for the entire 2025 season.