A QB’S BRAND
A man with a multitude of off-field endeavors, Watson mixes football, business, philanthropy
Football stardom mixes fine with business and philanthropy.
The business of Deshaun Watson and his rapidly growing brand mirrors his creative and eclectic style of football and fashion.
The Texans quarterback is known for his improvisational skills and ability to quickly size up a situation on the football field, utilizing his athleticism and intelligence to confuse defenses. Watson relies on his instincts and trust in his teammates when he breaks the huddle and calls audibles at the line of scrimmage.
When Watson is in the boardroom closing a deal or shooting a commercial, he follows a similar organic, independent approach. He relies on his feel for people and companies, discerning whether they’re the right fit for him in terms of potential growth and whether they share his values about philanthropy.
It’s a careful mix of businesses that Watson, 24, chooses to partner with, including some nontraditional, noncorporate collaborations. While it’s all carefully mapped out as he huddles with his business manager, Bryan Burney, and agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First, Watson is willing to adapt on the fly to an everchanging marketplace and industry.
“Deshaun is very intelligent, and he has great instincts about people and businesses,” said Burney, who has worked with Watson for three years. “One thing about Deshaun, especially for a guy that’s as young as he is, he’s not conscious of how popular a certain brand is or if it’s a household name. He wants to collaborate and associate with products and people he believes in.
“That’s very important to him: how the business is run and the character of the people he works with. Deshaun is not going to go with a company purely for the money. He wants to make sure they’re in line with his values and his vision. Trust is everything for Deshaun. Deshaun has to vibe with the company and the people. His name is very important to him, and he wants to do things that are creative and that he enjoys doing.”
Watson grew up in public housing in Gainesville, Ga., where he was raised by his mother, Deann Watson, a cancer survivor. The family moved into a new home in a better neighborhood when Watson found a Habitat for Humanity brochure in his Halloween candy bag and his mother filed out the paperwork, changing their lives forever.
Poised to eventually land a contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history, Watson is enjoying the business of being a professional athlete as he continues to build his brand.
Heading into his fourth season, Watson has led the Texans to consecutive AFC South titles and piled up 9,716 career passing yards and 71 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,233 yards and 14 touchdowns. Before Watson took an NFL snap, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called him the Michael Jordan of football.
Football has always remained Watson’s top priority. On his own time, though, he is open to business ventures involving something he believes in.
“Football always comes first, and each brand that I work with, we make sure we know that,” said Watson, who graduated from Clemson in three years with a degree in communications. “We don’t allow anything off the field to interfere with what’s going on on the field. That’s the first thing. Really for me, it’s just who can I trust, who can I vibe with. Who is going to make me fulfill my potential and my dreams with what I want to do off the field and that reaches my goals, my values, or what I want to do to use this platform?
“That’s of course being in the community, being able to serve other people but also having fun and doing the things I want to do within the brand. It’s like a big family for me. Everyone that I associate with, I treat everyone like a family.”
A Nike athlete who has endorsement deals with Rolex and Beats by Dre and who has shot a commercial for Amazon, Watson also has his own production company partnership, a growing association with a German professional soccer team, and a partnership with the Miami Design District in a Wynwood, Fla., neighborhood dedicated to innovative fashion, design, art, architecture and food.
Watson has become friends with philanthropist Craig Robins, the CEO of Dacra Development, founder and owner of Design Miami, and developer of the Miami Design District.
“The partnership with the Miami Design District is really fascinating, and he really loves it,” Burney said. “All of the influencer stuff, this is where Deshaun shops when he goes to Miami. They do car shows, art shows, fashion shows. They’re going to put Deshaun in their watch show. He’s an ambassador for all of that through the partnership and relationship he’s developed with Craig Robins.”
Watson also is a partner with Rally Road, an alternative investment platform that allows the buying and selling of equity shares in expensive, collectible assets. The luxury items include vintage cars, watches, handbags, sports memorabilia, wine, liquor and books. Watson has invested in a 1988 Lamborghini and a classic 1970 Rolex watch.
“The entire concept appealed to Deshaun,” Burney said. “We’ve been thrilled with how it’s working so far. It’s only something that can grow and grow and grow.”
Watson has nearly 1.5 million followers on his Instagram account and could make roughly $50,000 for a social-media post if he wanted to. The carefully curated account includes several life moments, including his hoisting the national championship trophy after beating Alabama, graduating from Clemson, being drafted by the Texans in the first round, buying his mom a Jaguar and traveling the world. An iconic photo shows him standing on a camel by the pyramids in Egypt.
Watson is heavily into fashion, especially on game day, when his outfitters have included Givenchy, Gucci, Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton. And his Instagram captions are always on point with a variety of motivational messages or catchy phrases, frequently paying tribute to his roots in Gainesville.
“That’s a really good amount of followers,” Burney said. “That’s a big deal, especially for a football player. It’s a great platform for Deshaun, and it lets people interact with him every day.”
Since his arrival in Houston, Watson has partnered with HEB and Reliant Energy. He also is the national spokesman for Zurvita, a health and wellness company specializing in nutritional products. And he has a major deal with another company pending.
“It’s a lot of companies now,” Burney said. “As Deshaun’s branding has grown, he’s started to get more well-known. That’s why he’s looking at more deals. He enjoys it.”
As Watson’s brand keeps getting bigger and more companies want to be in business with him, his time constraints dictate how many opportunities he can devote himself to. Like Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, one of the most popular and bankable athletes around, Watson stays focused on football.
“There’s obviously a whole process, and you try to put people around you that have your best interest in mind and who also align with what your ideas and goals are,” Watt said. “So when stuff starts to come along, the biggest thing is that the work always comes first.
“I think he has the exact same mentality. It comes down to trying to find things you believe in, things you’re passionate about. It’s just how do all of those things align for one common thing, and then it’s honestly a process of feeling it out as you go.”
After growing up in modest circumstances, Watson is determined to make sure his brand and investments create generational wealth.
“Brands want to be with Deshaun,” Burney said. “Deshaun is cool. He’s a cool guy. He dresses well. He’s a good-looking guy. He smiles. He’s not moody. He’s always the same.
“I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Deshaun Watson. You never hear somebody say something bad about him. He’s super poised and respectful. On the field, Deshaun, if anyone can take over a game, it’s him.”
A big soccer fan, Watson has a budding relationship with FC Bayern Munich. He went to a match in Germany during his rookie year, throwing a football and kicking a soccer ball while visiting the team’s facility. He attended their match at NRG Stadium against Real Madrid and has become friends with the players, hanging out with them in Houston and Los Angeles.
“FC Bayern Munich, that’s my team, that’s a family,” Watson said. “We’ve got some big things coming up in the future.”
An avid reader who launched a summer youth reading challenge in Houston through Ashley Furniture, Watson has authored a book called “Pass it On” published by Harper Collins’ Christian division. On the cover, the book says: “Work hard, serve others ... repeat.”
The book discusses how Watson was 11 when his family received a new home from Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn and how he gained a perspective on giving back at an early age. And it emphasizes Watson’s values of generosity, empathy, self-sacrifice, service and commitment.
Telling his story in his words was significant to Watson.
“For me to be able to share my testimony in a different perspective, different way for me to reach different people across the world, was awesome,” he said. “With the leadership things and everything I learned through high school and through college, learning from coach Swinney, I just wanted to apply that in a book and share that. Every time I do an event or appearance, a lot of people would say that once they heard my story, they learned so much from it.”
Committed to charity, the quarterback last year launched the Deshaun Watson Foundation, dedicated to education, health, housing and other causes supporting families and youth in underserved communities.
“Most NFL players that are Deshaun’s age don’t have a charitable foundation already,” Burney said. “It was very important to Deshaun to make that happen to be able to give back.”
Watson recently partnered with Reliant and Comp-U-Dopt, a nonprofit organization, to supply 500 desktop computers to students and families in Houston. The $175,000 donation included $25,000 from Watson’s foundation.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Watson, Burney and Watson’s hometown pastor, Michael Thurmond of Free Chapel in Gainesville, worked together to provide meals to first responders. Watson also gave meals to first responders in Houston.
“Deshaun loves his hometown so much,” Thurmond said. “That’s just who Deshaun is — he’s wise beyond his years. It’s a blessing. Deshaun loves to give back. It’s a tribute to his mother.”
When Hurricane Harvey displaced three cafeteria workers from their homes, Watson donated his first NFL game check of $27,353.
“That’s classic Deshaun,” Burney said.
With the Texans’ 2020 season beckoning, Watson hopes to continue striking the right balance among football, business and giving back.
“Football has definitely opened my eyes, and it’s the main priority right now. But football can only last so long, so what can I do outside of football?” Watson said. “How can I use this platform that the Lord has put me in to be able to share and touch other people across the world? Of course, everyone wants to be legendary and be remembered forever, especially after their football time. Hopefully, I can continue to build my name and my brand for that to happen.
“After I’m done with football, I definitely want to be able to travel the world and continue to inspire people and motivate people and use my platform and testimony and the things that I accomplish in this football time to be able to help other people’s lives and continue to grow this world and make it a better place.”