It is evident to everyone that DeShaun Watson’s career has declined in the last couple of years. From being one of the great promises of the NFL, the quarterback went on to play just a few games per year, and the legendary Warren Moon assured that his legal problems are behind the prolonged slump.
Watson arrived in the NFL as the 12th overall pick in the 2017 Draft, selected by the Houston Texans. The young passer arrived fresh off the NCAA champion crown with Clemson and a long history of awards and recognition for his performance.
His first years with the Texans seemed to confirm Watson was destined for stardom. He was called three times to the Pro Bowl between 2018 and 2020, and in the latter, he led the league in passing yards.
However, all that changed when Watson was hit by a series of sexual harassment lawsuits in 2021. The quarterback’s performance began to decline, and his injuries multiplied, sinking his promising career into a deep hole from which he has not been able to emerge, even after signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2022.
Warren Moon’s opinion
The legendary Houston Oilers quarterback forged a good friendship with Watson when the latter played for the Texans between 2017 and 2021. Moon has seen firsthand his young friend’s struggles on the field, and in a recent interview, he stated, “I think a lot of his problems are mental.”
Although Watson reached out-of-court settlements in almost all of his 22 lawsuits, the episode left a mark on his mental health. “He’s still dealing with a lot of that crap that he dealt with a couple of years ago with the lawsuits and all that,”Moon said in an interview with TMZ Sports.
Worse yet, just as Watson seemed to begin to recover, a new sexual misconduct lawsuit landed him back in court. “It seems like just when he’s starting to maybe get his career back on track from getting over the lawsuits — and then the injuries that he’s had the last couple years — here comes another one,” Moon lamented.
Watson is not in the game
In the interview with TMZ, Moon considered that Watson has not been the same since his legal problems began. “It seems like every time he goes out on the field he’s playing with a heavy mind and he’s not able to focus on the game,” he noted.
He also speculated, “He’s probably trying a little bit too hard. He’s pressing. And he’s just not able to play the way he’s capable of playing.” Moon empathized with the troubled signal-caller, saying, “I kind of understand it. I sympathize with it, but some of this, he put himself in those situations.”
This new lawsuit puts Watson back to square one, and with the NFL season just getting started, it’s safe to say the rest of his career is hanging in the balance.
