Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Desmond Watson is ready to make history in the NFL… simply by stepping on the field in September.
The 6-foot-6, 464lb defensive tackle will become the heaviest player in league history, and is already sending fans wild after appearing for the first time at the Bucs’ rookie minicamp this week.
The Florida college star is already said to have dropped 27lbs since weighing in at his pro day, but is still easily leading the pack in the all-time list – and Tampa Bay fans are excited to see him take to the field.
Watson headed out to the field alongside his fellow rookies on Friday, running drills in front of coaches for the first time since he signed.
He went undrafted last month was then signed as a free agent, and is already receiving plenty of attention from the media without playing a single snap.
That said, he insists he is keen to be more than just the ‘heaviest player in history’.
Desmond Watson was out on the field in the sweltering Tampa heat earlier this week
He has a chance to become the heaviest player in NFL history if he makes the field for the Bucs
He has already dropped a significant amount of weight since playing for Florida last year
‘I feel like my name is etched in history, of course, as being the official heaviest player in the NFL or whatnot,’ he told reporters this week.
‘It’s a good story, but at the same time I don’t want that to be my narrative. I want to be known as a football player – and a good football player at that.’
Watson made headlines at the NFL Combine earlier this year when he ran a 5.86 40-yard dash, much faster than other heavy rivals.
He also put up 36 reps on the 225-pound bench press, three more than any other college athletes who attempted it at the event.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was also asked to speak on his new rookie this week, noting: ‘He’s got to make the team first of all!
‘Right now, we just got to see how long he can stay on the field and put him on a [conditioning] program where we think he can make some progress.
Watson says he wants to be known as a good football player, not just the heaviest on the field
He shone at the Combine with a quick 40-yard dash and some impressive weight-lifting
‘I think that’s the biggest thing for us to do right now. We didn’t get him and say, “Hey, we’ve got to put you on the field right now”.’
Watson reportedly signed a three-year rookie contract with $50,000 guaranteed, and a $20,000 signing bonus.
Taking to social media this week, fans were quick to have their say on Watson, with one writing: ‘Tampa is a bad place for summer football workouts when you are 437 pounds.’
Another said: ‘This is awesome. I want to see this guy succeed so bad!’
