QB Deshaun Watson (9.29.26)
Deshaun, can you talk about the excitement of going into this game? Thursday Night Football, Steelers coming to town, the way the crowd was on Sunday, just what are the emotions heading into this one?
“It’s huge. It’s major. It’s a great opportunity to showcase what we’re about on a big national stage. And yeah, we’re super excited. We just ultimately, as a locker room, we just stay locked in, make sure we got our craft and everything, that our game plan is, so we can go out there and execute at a high level. We’re playing a very tough opponent, experienced opponent, and we got to make sure that we have all our things locked in going into that game.”
Deshaun, when you jogged off the field at the end of the game last Sunday, kind of met by AB (Andrew Berry) at the locker room, you guys kind of had an embrace, he’s had some words for you. I was kind of curious what his message was to you after that game. And how would you describe your relationship with AB? I know Quincy (Avery) even said he’s glad that AB is your GM, but how would you describe that relationship over the past couple years?
“Yeah, man, AB always been right there. He’s always communicated with me throughout the whole process, whatever was going on, what we’re doing in the QB room, what we’re doing coaching wise, everything. So, he’s always communicated. We got a great relationship, and we just continue to build from that. We built that trust and that honesty where we can just talk to each other, and we just hope that we can continue to build that and win a lot of games together.”
How do you feel personally about showcasing your comeback in prime time games for the rest of the NFL?
“Yeah, my main focus is, again, playing clean football, having an opportunity for us to be able to win the game. That’s all I’m locked in on. I’m not getting too caught up in all the antics in the media and things like that. I got to make sure I lock in. This is a very humbling league, and you got to make sure that you’re locked in one game at a time. You keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s playing football. Real good football.”
What are your impressions of the Steelers’ defense?
“I mean, real good defense. Like I mentioned, very experienced. The up-front guys, they’ve been there for years, very active. The secondary got a lot of experience, guys that played a lot of football, so they do a lot of different things, and they create a lot of turnovers. So, you got to make sure that you’re seeing what they’re doing and getting the ball in the right spot.”
You’ve been in the AFC North for a little bit; these games are a little grimier. Does the defensive nature of some of these games make you adjust maybe how aggressive you might be? Does ball security become even more of an emphasis potentially?
“I wouldn’t say if it’s more, because every game that’s number one priority. Ball security is the hopes and dreams of the whole organization, the team and the city, so you got to make sure you take care of that. Thinking about ball security has always been the number one priority into every game. But yeah, these games get definitely intense. And these divisional games and rivalry games, it’s a little bit more energy for sure.”
With Elgton (Jenkins) being in the concussion protocol now, and you might have to work with another starting center, what impact might that have on the game?
“You know, same mentality. Next man up. Luke (Wypler) has played a lot of ball. I’ve been with Luke for the last three years, so I know what he’s about. We communicated. We’ve worked together before, so, yeah, we’re super excited for the opportunity and praying for Jenkins to get healthy so he can get back in this locker room with us and we can have him around.”
There has been a lot of penalties on the offensive line in the first three weeks, mostly with the formations, the false starts, things like that. What type of role do you play as far as helping correct that, to minimize that so that your job doesn’t become harder than it has to be with negative yardage getting tacked on?
“It’s a big role. That’s where the communication comes in. What can I do to make their jobs easier so we don’t create those false starts. The illegal formations, making sure that everyone is aligned correctly, making sure guys are hearing me, hearing the play call in the huddle, and communicating a little bit extra in the huddle so the guys know which way to go. So again, we have a young team, new offense, a lot of moving parts, but at the same time, as the quarterback, you got to take a little bit more charge, and I want to continue to do that and make sure we cancel out those things.”
How do you get Jerry (Jeudy), or how do you get the vertical passing game going a little more? Is it being taken away, or what can you do to get a little more explosiveness in the passing game?
“Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day you got to take what the defense gives you. I think teams know we want to be explosive, but at the same time, you got to let it come to it. It’s got to happen naturally. Once you try to force those explosives and throw it downfield, and now you’re sitting at third-and-long, and those are wasted plays. So, you got to take when those opportunities come and hit them. But at the same time, if it takes 20 plays to get a touchdown, then hey, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Going off of that, how much can some of those runs that started to break out in that game on Sunday, Quinshon’s 11-yard rush, the 17-yard run, how much can that help create explosives down the field if you can get that run game going?
“Yeah, it can definitely help because now the safeties and secondaries are trying to cheat up, and now you get your one-on-one matchups outside and downfield. But yeah, we got to continue to try to be as balanced as possible. Create some good running, run game, and rushing yards, so we can get the secondary kind of biting up and we can try to go over the top. But it’s all part of the different game plans and different schemes that every team is trying to do to us.”
Do you have a relationship with Aaron (Rodgers)? And what’s it like to see him playing like he is at the age he’s at?
“Not like a real true relationship. I’ve known Aaron just passing throughout the years, playing against each other. When I was working with Dr. (Neal) ElAttrache on my shoulder, he was out there with his Achilles, so I got to talk to him a little bit. But man, it’s motivating. It’s inspiring to be able to see what he’s doing at the age that he’s doing it for so long. I was watching him as a young kid, and just being able to now play against him, it’s super dope to see him on the other side, and you can learn a lot from him. And it’s just cool to see one of the guys that you watched and looked up to for a very long time, on the other side.”
Between him and (Drew) Brees, (Tom) Brady, Peyton Manning, why do you think quarterbacks are playing a little longer these days?
“I have no idea, honestly. I’m not even sure. I’m not even sure.”
You made a lot of plays with your legs so far, especially Sunday. Do you think you’re any quicker or slower than before the surgery before, or you got the same speed and quickness as before the surgery?
“I’m not sure. I’m just reacting. I’m just playing ball, man. So, if I look fast, I guess, but if not, I’m not sure. I’m just playing ball, so I’m not even thinking about it.”
Deshaun, how about your connection with KC (Concepcion Jr.)? Didn’t go the way you wanted it to on Sunday. So, what can you guys do to kind of get that rolling a little bit?
“Yeah, I mean, it’s just, again, there’s different looks. At the same time, these guys are rookies, KC and (Denzel) Boston. Especially playing any receiver, or any person that knows that playing in the slot in the NFL is a lot. It’s a lot of different moving parts, a lot of different coverages. They can match, they can zone off, you got linebackers, defenders. So, it takes some time to be able to recognize all the different coverages and things that defenses can do. And it’s week to week. Every team is different. You’re not going to get the same that you did in Tampa versus Carolina, same thing moving forward on Thursday night. So, that’s just kind of, the more reps, the more experience that we get playing with each other and seeing the same thing, it’ll get better for sure.”
Knowing the support you got from the fan base Sunday, are you kind of itching to get back in that stadium, prime time, on Thursday night?
“Of course, yeah. I mean, the energy, the excitement, the positivity, everything, we fed off that. And I feel like that was a big part of that win on Sunday. And we want to continue to feed off that, especially against this opponent Thursday night, prime time. And we want to showcase that we’re going to play really good football, put up a lot of points, make some excitement, get the cheers going, and defense play well, play all three phases really good so we can get a W.”
We saw you talk, sort of coaching up KC after one of those incompletions where Carolina almost picked it off. What was your point of emphasis there for him in the first half?
“Yeah, it was just a return route. So again, it’s just what I mentioned with Mary Kay (Cabot), it’s just the different looks. You might feel like he’s zoning off, but with your return route, you don’t necessarily pit, you just keep coming underneath it. So, that’s what I was telling is just it’s reps again, being on the same page. I’m expecting him to return underneath that DB and kind of catching the run, but he kind of sat, and I threw it inside, and the guy made a good play. So, you know, you learn, you watch the tape, you correct it, and the next time we’ll be on the same page.”
Can you see yourself still playing in 12 years?
“That’s the goal, man. God willing, for sure. God willing. That’s the goal. So, I want to play as long as I possibly can, until football tells me I can’t.”
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