HOUSTON – Quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a change to the Houston Texans, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.
Watson made the request to the team weeks ago, sources told ESPN.
The Texans ’new head coach hire, David Culley, has not and will not alter Watson’s thinking, sources told ESPN.
Watson has not spoken with new Texan CEO Nick Caserio or executive Jack Easterby, sources told ESPN.
Watson, who signed a four-year, $ 156 million contract extension in September, is hired during the 2025 season. He has a non-commercial inclusion in his contract, but given the length of the contract and the possibility of marking it. with a franchise for three years, the Texans could choose not to change it and have control of their rights during the 2028 season.
The commercial request comes after Watson was dissatisfied with the process used by the team to hire Caserio in early January.
After Watson signed his contract extension last year, he was excited as he discussed how happy he was committing to the franchise and the city.
“It’s an amazing time for me to be able to expand my professional career in a place, in a place, in a home, I would say, that my family loves, that I love,” Watson said in September. “I want to continue diving into the community above all else and continue to build my legacy, build our legacy as a whole and do something we had never done before.”
Watson set his career highs last season on passing yards, touchdowns and finishing percentage. He also threw seven interceptions at the professional minimum. His 33 touchdowns and 4,823 yards of passing were also franchise records in a single season.
The quarterback’s best individual season came in a season where the team went 4-12 and fired head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien after a 0-4 start.
Although he has only played four seasons (54 games), Watson’s 104 passing touchdowns and 14,539 passing yards are second in the history of the Texas franchise behind Matt Schaub (124 touchdowns and 23,221 passing yards in 90 games ).
Watson is currently the all-time NFL leader in finishing percentage behind quarterback Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback. In 2020, he became the only player in NFL history to complete at least 70% of his passes in a single season.