History of Deshaun Watson in Timeline

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

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1961: Fran Tarkenton's Record

In 1961, Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton set a record that Deshaun Watson tied in 2017, becoming the first rookie to pass for at least four touchdowns and rush for one touchdown in a game.

September 14, 1995: Deshaun Watson Born

On September 14, 1995, Derrick Deshaun Watson was born.

Others born on this day/year

1997: Jeff George Led League in Passing Yards

In 1997, Jeff George of the Oakland Raiders led the league in passing yards on a team with at least 12 losses, a feat that Deshaun Watson replicated in 2020.

2002: David Carr PFWA All-Rookie Team

In 2002, David Carr became the first Texans quarterback to receive the PFWA All-Rookie Team award and afterwords, Deshaun Watson received the same award in 2018.

2003: Jason White Award Streak

In 2003-2004, Jason White won the Davey O'Brien Award and became the first player since him to win the award in consecutive years.

2004: Jason White Award Streak

In 2003-2004, Jason White won the Davey O'Brien Award and became the first player since him to win the award in consecutive years.

2006: Sportradar Tracking Begins

In 2006, Sportradar began tracking air yards.

2006: Home Donated to Watson Family

In 2006, when Deshaun Watson was 11 years old, 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.

2010: Attended Gainesville High School and Joined Football Team

In the fall of 2010, Deshaun Watson began attending Gainesville High School and joined the school's Red Elephants football team, eventually becoming the first freshman starting quarterback under head coach Bruce Miller.

2011: Clemson's ACC Championship

Clemson's ACC championship was their first since 2011, which occurred four years prior to the 2015 championship led by Deshaun Watson.

February 1, 2012: Commits to Clemson University

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

January 2014: Enrolls at Clemson

In January 2014, Deshaun Watson enrolled at Clemson University.

October 11, 2014: Broke hand against Louisville Cardinals

On October 11, 2014, Deshaun Watson broke a bone in his right hand during a game against the Louisville Cardinals, causing him to miss several games.

2014: Ranked Top Quarterback Recruit

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

2014: Junior All-American and Player to Watch

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

2015: Led Clemson to Undefeated Season

In 2015, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to an undefeated 12-0 regular season, a #1 ranking, and won the ACC Championship against North Carolina, earning MVP honors.

2015: Heisman Trophy Finalist and Award Winner

In 2015, Deshaun Watson was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and won the Davey O'Brien Award, ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

November 8, 2016: Declared for NFL Draft

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

2016: Orange Bowl Victory and MVP Honors

In 2016, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to a 37-17 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, earning game MVP honors and advancing to the National Championship game.

2016: Led Clemson to National Championship

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

2016: National Championship Game Loss

In 2016, Deshaun Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns in the College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama, setting a record for most total yards in the game, but Clemson lost 45-40.

2016: Repeat Davey O'Brien Award Winner and Heisman Candidate

In the fall of 2016, Deshaun Watson won the Davey O'Brien Award for the second consecutive year, along with the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Manning Award, and was again a Heisman Trophy candidate.

May 12, 2017: Signed Four-Year Contract with Texans

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

September 10, 2017: NFL Debut

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

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: Won College Football Playoff National Championship

In 2017, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to a 35-31 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship, ending a three-decade championship drought. Watson received the offensive MVP award.

2017: Drafted by Houston Texans

In 2017, Deshaun Watson was drafted by the Houston Texans in the first round (12th overall).

2018: NFL Top 100 Players Ranking

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

2018: Guided Texans to Division Title

In 2018, Watson guided the Houston Texans to a division title and received Pro Bowl honors.

2018: Texans Traded First Round Pick

In 2018, the Houston Texans traded their first round pick to the Cleveland Browns.

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 Consecutive Division Title

In 2019, Watson led the Texans to another consecutive division title and received Pro Bowl honors for the second straight year.

March 2020: Alleged Incident with Massage Therapist

In March 2020, Deshaun Watson allegedly touched a massage therapist with his erect penis while asking her for sex during a visit to her home for treatment. This incident led to a civil lawsuit filed against him on March 16, 2021.

April 28, 2020: Texans Exercised Fifth-Year Option

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

August 2020: Alleged Incident at Houstonian Hotel

In August 2020, another massage therapist claimed that Watson met her at the Houstonian Hotel and completely undressed, directing her to massage his anus and penis, and making a movement that caused her to touch his penis. She also claimed that Watson only paid half of the charges due 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.

December 2020: Third Civil Lawsuit Filed

In December 2020, a third civil lawsuit was filed against Deshaun Watson, alleging that he had forced a massage therapist to perform oral sex on him before she blacked out in an office building. On March 18, the NFL announced it would investigate the allegations.

2020: Alleged Sexual Assault Incident

In 2020, Deshaun Watson allegedly sexually assaulted a woman during a date in Houston, which led to a lawsuit filed against him on September 9, 2024.

2020: Trade Request and Standoff

In 2020, Deshaun Watson requested a trade from the Texans due to dissatisfaction with front office and coaching staff changes. The Texans resisted trade negotiations, leading to a standoff. Despite controversies, Watson participated in team activities on a limited basis and was named to the 53-man roster.

2020: Led League in Passing Yards

In 2020, Watson led the league in passing yards and received Pro Bowl honors for the third straight year.

March 16, 2021: Civil Lawsuit Filed

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

April 7, 2021: Endorsement Deals Suspended

On April 7, 2021, Nike and Beats by Dre suspended their endorsement deals with Deshaun Watson. Reliant Energy and H-E-B stated they did not plan to engage with Watson in the future.

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.

2021: Sexual Misconduct Allegations and Inactivity

In 2021, Deshaun Watson was sued by more than two dozen female massage therapists for sexual harassment and sexual assault, leading to him being sidelined for the entire season due to disagreements with the Texans' front office and the lawsuits.

March 11, 2022: Grand Jury Declines Indictment

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

March 18, 2022: Watson Traded to Browns, Signs Record Deal

On March 18, 2022, Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns along with a 2024 sixth-round pick, in exchange for multiple draft picks. As part of the trade, Watson signed a new five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract with the Browns, the largest in NFL history at the time.

August 1, 2022: Civil Cases Settled

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

August 18, 2022: Suspension Settlement

On August 18, 2022, Deshaun Watson's suspension was settled between the NFL and the NFLPA, resulting in an 11-game suspension for the 2022 regular season and a $5 million fine.

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 the Texans in Week 13, posting a career-low passer rating of 53.4 in the win. Watson finished the 2022 season with a 3–3 record, 1,102 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

2022: Traded to Cleveland Browns

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

2022: Watson Suspended and NFL Appeal

In 2022, as a result of sexual harassment allegations, Deshaun Watson was initially suspended for six regular-season games. The NFL appealed, seeking a full-season suspension, a fine, and a treatment clause for his conduct. Commissioner Roger Goodell called Watson's conduct "egregious" and "predatory behavior".

2023: Draft Picks Traded

As part of the March 18, 2022 trade deal, the Cleveland Browns traded their third-round pick in 2023 to the Houston Texans.

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 in several positions during a date in 2020.

2024: Draft Picks Traded

As part of the March 18, 2022 trade deal, the Houston Texans received the Browns' first-round draft pick in 2024, as well as the Browns' fourth-round pick in 2024. The Texans also traded their 2024 sixth-round draft pick to the Browns.

2024: Injury and Season-Ending Surgery

In 2024, During week 7, On October 20, Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tear, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season, and underwent surgery on October 25. Earlier in Week 1, Watson struggled against the Cowboys, and through five games, posted a league-low QBR as the Browns struggled.

2024: Expected Full Recovery Before Season

In 2024, after undergoing surgery on November 21st, 2023, for a broken bone in his throwing shoulder, Deshaun Watson was expected to be fully recovered before the start of the NFL season.

January 9, 2025: Achilles Re-rupture and Surgery

On January 9, 2025, Deshaun Watson underwent surgery after he suffered a re-rupture to his right Achilles tendon, which kept him out for the entire 2025 season.

July 2025: Collusion Scandal and Resignations

In July 2025, the fully guaranteed contract signed on March 18, 2022 by Watson as part of his trade to the Cleveland Browns, led to a collusion scandal involving the league and the NFL Players Association. This event later resulted in the resignations of NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell and chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter.