"That would be a whole lot of baggage and drama" - NFL fans split on Stephen A. Smith's plea for Steelers to acquire Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is arguably the most controversial figure in the NFL right now. Watson was found not guilty on nine accusations of sexual misconduct by a grand jury Friday. Despite the jury's verdict, not everyone is ready to believe Watson's innocence and turn their attention to his trade rumors.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is ready to focus on Watson's trade destination. Smith is a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He tweeted Friday with a plea to the Steelers to exhaust all of their resources in trading for the 26-year-old.
Yo @steelers. If there is a way — anyway damnit — to get your hands on @deshaunwatson, could you exhaust every option to do this. Please! Please! Please! With Sugar on top. Pretty please. Yes! I’m begging!!!
Smith's take was met with mixed bag of comments and reactions on Twitter.
One of those tweets came from Adam Douglas, who said the hypothetical transaction would bring a lot of baggage and drama to the organization.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson That would be a whole lot of baggage and drama Stephen A.
A user with the handle Mister Miracle tweeted their disappointment over male sports analysts moving on from the victims and their stories in a matter of minutes.
They're referencing the fact that as soon as Deshaun Watson's criminal charges were dismissed, the majority of the media's attention turned to landing destinations for the quarterback.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson man, if anything has become obvious over the last couple hours, it's that the male representation in sports media could give a damn about the victims, the stories they told, or the system in which they fight back . . . took only a matter of minutes before y'all moved on
The Houston Texans' asking price for Deshaun Watson is reportedly three first-round picks and some players. One Steelers fan replied to Smith, saying three first-rounders is too much to give up for one player.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson not if it costs them 3 first round picks
Dave Capuano notes that Deshaun Watson is likely to be suspended by the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy. That said, Capuano believes the Steelers ownership, coaching, and fanbase offer Watson an ideal spot to go.
Capuano also brought up a legitimate question as to who would have to be traded to Houston to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson The nfl will suspend him and my guess will be 8 games reduced to 6. But Pittsburgh is the ideal place for him given the rock solid ownership, coach’s and fan base. The only question is who will be left after the trade?
Another fan agreed with Smith's take. They think the Steelers' ownership makes them a good place for Watson and that the team should work fast to make a deal happen.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson I agree he is a good fit, jump on the opportunity now, the leadership he needs is in place in Pittsburgh, time is of the essence on this on. Good Call
Mitchell Concannon sided with the camp that believes Watson will be a good fit due to the Rooney Family being stable owners.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson Ok we can agree on this Stephen A. He needs to go to a well run, established organization. Also Mike is, in my opinion the best all around coach in the league.
One fan questioned why Watson would want to be traded in the AFC, which is more packed with ascending superstar quarterbacks than the NFC. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract. That means he can't be traded anywhere without his approval.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson I don’t know why Watson would choose an AFC team. Most top tier QBs are in AFC. NFC offers the better path to both personal and team success.
One fan called Watson's morals into question. They said there are more important things in life than wins and losses.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson As an owner, I wouldn't want him as the face of my franchise... To each is own tho'. More important things in life than wins & wins aren't guaranteed w/Watson anyway.
With all that said, Watson's got the no-trade clause, so he'll get to go to a team of his choosing most likely.
Michael Spencer had an opinion shared by many. There's no doubt that Deshaun Watson is one of the elite quarterbacks in the league when he's playing at his best.
But his off-the-field questions remain, despite being acquitted by the grand jury.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson No thanks we are good. Like Mr. Watson as player, but many questions marks off the field.
Finally, one fan summarized the comments section of Smith's Tweet perfectly by admitting they're just there to read about people's takes on the debate.
@stephenasmith @steelers @deshaunwatson I’m just here for the comments 🍿
Deshaun Watson will be traded sooner rather than later
Watson will forever be a controversial figure due to what's transpired over the past 12 months. Being found not guilty doesn't mean the events that preceded the verdict will be erased from the memory of those that followed this case.
That said, Watson appears poised to find a new home sooner rather than later, as he's now the most skilled and talented player available in the league. The Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks are just a few reported teams interested in his services.
Teams will have to give up a substantial amount of assets for Deshaun Watson. But it's not every day that a 26-year-old superstar quarterback is available.