Watson causes fans to despair

Although rumors had swirled for weeks, reports Thursday confirmed what Texans fans were dreading: Quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out.

Reactions from fans along Kirby Drive and on social media showed they didn’t take too kindly to the news.

Fans outside Lefty’s Cheesesteak, the restaurant co-owned by Watson that made its Houston debut on Dec. 15, voiced their displeasure to the trade request.

While the belief now is that Watson will be traded, some are still holding out hope that the relationship can be fixed.

“I just hope that, whatever decision he makes, I just hope that he does what’s best for him, but I hope that he stays here,” said Linda Williams, a Louisiana native who has been in Houston since 1977.

Others don’t share the same hope. Derick Rodriguez, who was born and raised in the Houston area and works at the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, is firmly on Watson’s side of the feud, saying bad front office decisions have given Watson the right to ask for a trade.

“It’s kind of like any job. I mean, you don’t want to be there anymore — you made your decision, you made your decision, that’s it,” Rodriguez said. “So it would be nice for him to (stay in Houston), but I’d rather him go be happier than be here and just … he had nothing more to prove to us.”

On Twitter, the bad feelings didn’t stop.

One Texans fan tweeted that he was “out” and following Watson wherever he goes, before giving a message to team CEO and chairman Cal McNair that he wouldn’t be coming back until the team is sold. Others tweeted at Watson directly, asking him to reconsider his decision.

A petition started on change.org to “Fire Jack Easterby and Save Deshaun Watson” gained nearly 4,000 signatures by 5:30 p.m.

Should Watson indeed be traded, he would be the next star athlete to leave the city, following the likes of James Harden (traded to the Brooklyn Nets) and George Springer (signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent).