New Texans head coach David Culley has finally spoken on the Deshaun Watson saga, and he didn’t exactly clear things up. In a press conference with the general media, Culley was insistent that the team was all in on Watson.
“We are very committed to Deshaun [Watson] as our quarterback. He is our quarterback,” Culley said, via this tweet from Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Culley also deferred questions about Watson asking for a trade to GM Nick Caserio, who wasn’t there. “It’s not a matter of me trying to change anyone’s mind. We’re committed to him. He’s a Houston Texan and we’re going to move forward with that,” Culley said when asked if Watson could be talked out of his trade request, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Culley added that “there is no contingency plan” for if Watson decides not to report. He also said “yes, he is,” when asked if Watson is committed to the Texans, which would seem to be demonstrably false. What makes these comments interesting, is that they’re in sharp contrast to what Culley told Jim Trotter of NFL Network just hours earlier.
Trotter tweeted that he walked away from his conversation with Culley “firmly” believing that Watson will be traded. Culley told Trotter that “he is our starting quarterback right now. He is our starting quarterback. Things happen between now and then. We’ll see what happens.” When he spoke on that more free-wheeling podcast, Culley gave the quarterback kiss of death of ‘right now.’
Culley also told Trotter that “we want guys who are all in.” Reading the tea leaves there it certainly sounds like Culley knows there’s a very good chance Watson is dealt before the 2021 season. It also sounds like somebody spoke with him between that podcast interview and his press conference and asked him to change his tone.
Anytime ‘right nows’ start getting thrown around, it’s seemingly the beginning of the end. This drama could still take many more twists and turns, but as Trotter himself noted, it now sounds like the writing is on the wall.
“If you lead a horse to water can you make it drink?”
J-E-T-S. Jets. Jets. Jets
Listening to this live was one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever heard. Cal, Jack and Nick threw this man to the wolves.
I do not think I would want to be part of this team right now.
Are Texans going to be the Knicks of the NBA in terms of football or worse.
I know the Knicks are trying to build things up there but the Texans look more of a joke
I really hope Watson ends up somewhere where can get better treated. I know if did not sign that extension would it have been better if wanted out. I know ownership and more has not done this team good. At least since Bob passed. I really feel bad for the Texans and reputation at moment with this fiasco.
I know some probably look at Watson for his part in this but I think it started long before now and bad time to have exploded
“Better treated”? Have you seen the man’s contract? If he wanted more say on the football operations side he should have negotiated for it in his contract. He didn’t do that and since he doesn’t own the Houston Texans his complaining makes him sound like a spoiled brat who doesn’t get to have his cake and eat it too.
This idea that Watson is being poorly treated is both laughable and insulting.
When someone comes to you and tells you that they want you involved and then don’t involve you, that shows they don’t value you. Cal should never have said anything. Every time this man opens his mouth he’s killing the organization.
This idea that Watson is only upset because the involvement in the GM/HC search is both laughable and insulting. There is far more issues that are plain and obvious for everyone to see.
So a reporter “firmly believes” something and somehow we are supposed to think something of it? In case you haven’t noticed, a reporter’s opinion means as much as your’s or mine.
Personally I “firmly believe” that Watson and his agent are undermining his own trade value at the moment and thus might actually be hurting his chances to get out of town without losing some of that fat contract.
It’s always easier to comment on others dumpster fires; ignoring the one in your own back yard.
The one truly losing and becoming the NFL’s Pittsburg Pirates/Suckremento Kings will be the Texans. In my opinion as a sports fan, trading Watson prior to the draft, will benefit the team more than trying to prove a point and fining him for not participating in team activities. They could have draft picks and a few players to address their needs now; versus taking Watsons full cap hit this year, or having to cut other players later in order to manage the salaries of those they trade for after the draft. Even if Watson sits out, he will still be paid a portion of his guaranteed salary (~$12M).
So, again, as a sports fan, I wish Cal “Baby Huey” McNair to playing video games and Jack “Snake Oil Salesman” Easterby allow the new GM to be the GM
Sounds like the Texans found the perfect coach to lead their clueless organization. He fits right in.
I usually lean towards “the player and team should honor the contract” type of thinking, but in this case I cannot fault Watson or anyone else for wanting to get the hell out of this disaster that seems to just keep getting worse. I had assumed that Bill O’Brien was the main problem in Houston, but apparently there is complete incompetence up and down the power structure of the whole organization
Problem is the owner is relying on a priest to run a football team. Won’t ever change until McNair sells the team.
I dunno. I think most of the problem has been Cal’s inexperience. I could be wrong, of course, but that’s what led him to grant O’Brien so much so much power and lean on him after Bob’s death, and then on Easterby after O’Brien’s firing. The question now becomes whether Cal will stop trusting the advice of Easterby or Caserio or whomever and see how they have mishandled the already poor situation created by O’Brien’s incompetence. I don’t know if that will happen or when, or if Easterby will be smart enough to realize that it’s just a matter of time before he becomes next to fall and bolts (Caserio can’t really do that, neither can Culley, but Easterby likely could).
Eventually, billionaires get tired of waiting for results for the most part. We just don’t know how long Cal will wait. We can all agree that the main figures behind the Texans’ downward spiral all took advantage of Cal’s inexperience after Bob’s death, but we don’t know if Cal will learn from any of this or keep trusting his guys to figure it out. I think that if they don’t turn the team around in two years (after losing Watson this year, which I think is contrary to Cal’s expectations and he will take as proof of incompetence), Cal will make changes.
@KCJ & super bear fan, your right on the money.
The problem is that Baby Huey won’t sell the team until his mother has passed away (not that I wish for that to happen to Mrs. McNair) and he has complete control.
It’s going to play out just like antonio brown raiders saga, if he wants out he’s going to have to forfeit a ton of guaranteed money. U can’t beat the shield.
deuceball The Texans can stay strong to the public, but if Watson is serious enough that he’ll sit out the season then the Texans desperately need the haul of assets he’d bring back in a trade. No one wins if Watson sits and Houston holds onto him out of spite.
His trade value won’t go down, the cap hit they take to trade him will only go down in a year. They’re not going to the superbowl this year whether they trade him or not so no rush.
At the very least, if Houston waits a year to trade him, his value goes down because the acquiring team has one less year of control. If he sits for a year and then they trade him, I’d have to think the Texans would be leaving a lot of potential assets behind.
Agreed. Definitely a lose-lose of Watson sits out / Houston refuses to do a trade.
Culley talks about Watson like he is some established great coach. “I wouldn’t be here if Watson was not our QB”…. Sorry David but most fans hadn’t even heard of you and had to Google who you were when the Texans announced their coach pick.
It’s blatantly obvious the Texans are simply posturing now, trying to save face. It’s also obvious that their attempts at damage control will not prevent an ugly divorce.
Cullet needs some lessons from Belichick and not be flapping his gums.
Carson Palmer was the last big time qb to sit out and he had about 100 million dollars when he did. Watson didn’t make enough on his rookie deal to pay back bonuses and sit out. He’s not going anywhere, no matter how bad he wants to.
“When I read this, I laughed so hard I got hiccups.” – Deshaun Watson
Trade him for everything another team has. Everything.
Including waterboys. Every. Thing.
^ he gets it.
Reminds of of Being from the DC area; and Yearning OhSo badly for KD to ‘come back home’/ KD must have bad blood back in his hometown: He IS NOT coming to DC!!