When Deshaun Watson gifted $50,000-$75,000-worth Jaguar car to his mom after being drafted No. 12 overall by Texans
Despite leading the Clemson Tigers to a National Championship win and finishing second behind Lamar Jackson in the Heisman Trophy race, 11 teams passed on Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL draft.
The Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs overlooked the young star to pick Mitchell Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes. When the Houston Texans were on the clock, they were pleasantly surprised that Watson was still on the board and wasted no time in picking him and earmarking him as the franchise's future.
As NIL deals were outlawed back then, the quarterback got his first big paycheck only after he was drafted. He wasted no time in spending his newfound wealth, but rather than blowing the money on himself, he got an early birthday present for his mother, Deann Watson.
Watson told SB Nation that the car was only the beginning and he intended to buy a house soon after. It was a dutiful son's heartfelt gesture for his mother, who raised him to be a star quarterback:
“My mom’s birthday is Saturday, so after I make sure that she’s set, I’m not really sure,” Watson said. ... “We might wait on [buying her a] house. But buy her a car or something like that. Something special for Saturday.”
Watson posted a picture of him and his mom posing alongside her new Jaguar SUV, and captioned it:
"Happy Birthday Mama! I love you & you deserve your first official car! Enjoy it! 'Had to cop her the '17 Jag.'"
SB Nation reported that the car would have cost a minimum of $50,000 and could have cost up to $75,000 if it had been kitted out with all the available upgrades.
Revisiting Deshaun Watson's incredible 2020 NFL season
In his first four seasons with the Texans, Deshaun Watson made teams that passed on him regret their decision as he threw for 14,539 passing yards, 104 touchdowns, and 36 interceptions. He earned three Pro Bowl nods and established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Watson's best season came in 2020, which coincided with the Texans dropping to a 4-12 campaign. Watson amassed 4,823 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions, and his performance mirrored with the Texans' struggles made him disillusioned about his future with the franchise.
Deshaun Watson's numbers were spectacular, and as Houston's season ended a clip made the rounds of J.J. Watt apologizing to Watson for the team "wasting one of his years."
Deshaun Watson demanded a trade and several teams around the league geared up to pitch their best offers to Houston for their quarterback. However, Watson's suitors quickly abandoned their plans as several massage therapists came forward and accused the quarterback of sexual misconduct. The number grew to over two dozen and the Texans benched him for the entire year.
Watson's case and trade to Cleveland have been well-documented, as has his performance with the Browns. Now, three years into the Deshaun Watson experiment, the Browns appear ready to give up.
They have been courting veteran quarterbacks and are rumored to be picking a signal-caller with the second pick in the 2025 NFL draft.