Desperate times call for desperate measures. And with word leaking the star quarterback Deshaun Watson wants to leave the Texans, Houston fans are rallying to drum up support to keep him in town with a literal march.
But there’s just one little thing Watson would like everyone to remember: COVID-19.
I’m hearing there is a march planned on my behalf in Houston today. Although I am humbled I ask that whoever is organizing the march cancel for the sake of public safety. Covid is spreading at a high rate & I don’t want any fans to unnecessarily expose themselves to infection.
— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) January 18, 2021
That fans are willing to come together and march to support Watson and show him some love in an attempt to move him off his rumored trade demands is touching in a way. But it doesn’t seem like Watson is all that thrilled with it happening during the time of a pandemic when transmission and spread of COVID-19 could be amplified by such an event. So much so, Watson went to Twitter to ask whomever was organizing the march to cancel it. Talk about off-field leadership.
It’s been a wild few weeks for speculation regarding Watson’s future with the franchise. Starting with “buzz” about him possibly wanting a trade. Followed by the Texans’ preemptively leaking they wouldn’t do it (even if he asked). Watson seemed to later confirm the drama by taking it public. And over the weekend, things got even spicier with rumors that “he just wants out” and a belief in some circles that he’s played his final snap with the Texans.
In other words, you can see why Texans fans wanted to organize such a march in the first place.
Several franchises are reportedly keeping tabs on the Watson situation. And while we don’t know if the Bears are one of them, they should be. At minimum, at least we know their lead recruiter is already on the case.