QB Deshaun Watson requests trade from Houston Texans

HOUSTON – Star quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade from the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press.

The person was not authorized to speak publicly about the request and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity Thursday.

Watson has a no-trade clause in his four-year, $156 million contract, so he could have some control over where he might be dealt.

A source told The Associated Press on Wednesday night that the Texans had hired David Culley as their new coach to replace Bill O’Brien, who was fired after an 0-4 start and replaced by interim head coach Romeo Crennel.

The same source who told The AP about the trade request said Watson made the ask before Culley’s hire. He has been unhappy with the direction of the team for some time and Sports Illustrated reported weeks ago that Watson was upset the team didn’t initially request to interview Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for its coaching vacancy.

The Texans eventually interviewed Bieniemy, as well as Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, Buffalo assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Detroit coach Jim Caldwell, former Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis and Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady before landing on Culley – the only African American among the seven head coaches hired this offseason. The only other minority candidate who was hired as a head coach this offseason was the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, the league’s first Muslim American head coach.