HOUSTON – A day after it was reported that Deshaun Watson had applied for a trade, new Houston Texans coach David Culley said during his introductory press conference that he took the job knowing that Watson was the quarterback of the jeans.
“He’s the Houston Texans quarterback, and that’s all I was worried about,” Culley said when asked about his knowledge of Watson’s state when he was being interviewed for the job. “That’s all I knew and all that was said about what I wanted or didn’t want to do. All I know is this …
“He’s a Houston Texan. And I wanted to be a Houston Texan. And the reason I’m in that position today is because I knew he was going to be a Houston Texan. The outside things that were said are irrelevant to me.”
Watson, who signed a four-year, $ 156 million contract extension in September, is hired during the 2025 season. He has a non-swap clause, however, given the length of his contract and the possibility of labeling him. for three years, the Texans could choose not to change it and have control of their rights during the 2028 season.
Watson’s commercial request came after reports were not satisfied with the process used by the team to hire Nick Caserio in early January.
“At the organizational level, I just want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson,” Caserio said. “He’s had a big impact on this organization, a big impact on a lot of people, a big impact on this team and we look forward to the opportunity to spend more time with him this spring, once we start.
“And we have no interest in changing the player. We have a great plan, a great vision for him and for this team, and his role on this team, and we look forward to the opportunity to spend more time with him this spring. “
If the jeans choose not to change Watson, he could choose not to attend the team’s mandatory activities or training camp, but at a price. Houston can fine Watson $ 95,877 for lack of a minicamp and can fine him $ 50,000 a day for each day of training camp lost, plus a week’s pay ($ 620,000) for every preseason game he misses. In the unlikely scenario that Watson chooses to retire, the jeans could charge $ 21.6 million.