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Well, we knew Deshaun Watson was unhappy in Houston with the way the season ended. He and J.J. Watt publicly voiced their displeasure with the organization after a 4-12 season in which their would-be third overall pick was conveyed to the Miami Dolphins.
There is now further confirmation of Watson’s displeasure with the team. According to Ian Rapoport, Watson is “extremely unhappy” with the organization after not being able to give input in the hiring process of general manager, which the team reportedly said it would do. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he was blindsided in the same way he was when the team traded star receiver Deandre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals last year.
Deshaun Watson has not spoken to #Texans brass in the last few days, though they have tried to call him. https://t.co/6ObYHqrdgB
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2021
Specifically, Watson is upset with team CEO Cal McNair, who is the son of the now-deceased Bob McNair. You may remember the elder McNair for saying, “we can’t have inmates running the prison,” when talking about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem in an owners meeting back in 2018.
According to Schefter, Cal McNair promised to keep Watson in the loop… then didn’t. He described Watson as a “disillusioned franchise quarterback”:
“This time, Watson had met with Texans owner Cal McNair on several instances, sharing thoughts on certain candidates that came highly recommended, with Watson suggesting that the team at least talk to them, sources told ESPN. He did not expect Houston to hire those that he endorsed, but he was hoping the Texans would be respectful of the feelings of the group of his teammates that he was trying to represent, sources told ESPN.
The Texans, however did not act on their quarterback’s thoughts and charged ahead with a hire that mattered to a much smaller circle than the one that Watson was trying to aid, sources told ESPN.”
This comes after rumblings that Watson could request a trade, and his former teammate Tyrann Mathieu saying the 49ers should be one of the teams trying to acquire him in a trade.
Watson has a full five years remaining on his extension, and if he were traded, Houston would have to eat $21.6 million in dead cap space.