The saga between the Houston Texans and their disgruntled quarterback continues. According to one NFL insider, Deshaun Watson has no plans to make amends with his current team, and the relationship between player and team may not be repairable anytime soon.
"Let's go back to last Sunday," ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Saturday during ESPN's NFL Countdown (via Garrett Stepien of 247Sports, h/t to Patrick Tulini). "I tweeted out that one person close to Watson said that if his anger level after they traded DeAndre Hopkins last offseason was a two, this time, it's a 10. And sure enough, what did Deshaun Watson tweet yesterday? 'I was on two and I took it to 10,' validating exactly what everyone thinks and knows.
"He is one unhappy camper and has no plans to be with the Houston Texans anytime soon — if ever."
I was on 2 then I took it to 10
— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) January 15, 2021
Watson's latest discontent with the Texans stems from the quarterback being told that he would have input in the decisions leading to hiring a new general manager and head coach. That didn't happen. Watson is also unhappy that the team is keeping EVP of football operations Jack Easterby.
"But sources close to Watson say this is bigger than firing Jack Easterby, the front office executive whom McNair says he won't fire," added ESPN's Chris Mortensen on NFL Countdown. "He says — this source says — that unless Cal McNair can fire himself, Deshaun Watson is not about to change his mind that he does not want anything to do with the Texans going forward."
Oddsmakers still have the Houston Texans as the most-likely team to have Watson on its roster for Week 1 of the 2021 season. The San Francisco 49ers are third on the list, though, behind the Miami Dolphins. Acquiring the star quarterback would require surrendering significant draft capital.
Still, it is a story worth keeping an eye on, and it doesn't seem like things are getting any better in Houston.
"I think the issue with Deshaun is that they went to him to ask his input into what they should do going forward," added Schefter. "He didn't go to them. They went to him. They asked his opinion. And then they ignored his opinion."