Deshaun Watson: 'He's a Winner and a Killer'
Former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson completed his fourth year in the NFL, and is making his former head coach look more and more like a prophet with each passing season.
Watson led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards, the first time in his career he's done that. His 70.2 completion percentage and 33 touchdown passes were both personal bests in a season. Watson threw the ball and completed those passes more than any other season before this.
"He's humble, the same guy every day, and always ready," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said before the 2017 NFL Draft. "He comes to every meeting prepared. That's how you change things, you change the culture, through — for me it's through discipline and recruiting, staffing and all that stuff. For them, it's decision-making, it's who you pick.
"And I'm just telling you: they (the Cleveland Browns) pass on Deshaun Watson, they're passing on Michael Jordan. I mean, I don't know what the heck I'm talking about, I'm just an old funky college coach, but Deshaun Watson is the best, by a long shot."
That same analogy was given by Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
"You see Michael Jordan, you see some of the great athletic plays in any sport, you've got to tip your hat to the guy," Gruden said. "We had him three times (in our games), and then he makes an unbelievable throw and the kid makes a great catch.
"If you've watched Watson play, we're not the first team he's gotten. He's a spectacular player. He wills it out of his team, and he makes something out of nothing, and he did a lot again, and I credit him. It's a credit to him. The quarterback. Couldn't catch him. The guy made a lot of plays. You've got to tip your hat to Watson. He was awesome. Doggone Watson."
Swinney still stands by his Michael Jordan comparison for Deshaun Watson, and while he still believes that his comparison holds true, he admits that it may have put Watson in a difficult position.
A position that he had to apologize for.
"Listen, the whole Jordan thing came about — listen sometimes I say things and y'all know that, I'm in the moment," Swinney said. "The whole Jordan thing came about because the Bulls had the No. 3 pick when they took Jordan and the Bears had the No. 3 pick. That's the only reason that came up. It just kind of took on a life of its own.
"I just meant he's a winner and a killer like Michael Jordan. I didn't mean he's Michael Jordan. I mean, he's got a will to win that is rare. And you only see that every now and then. And when I think of that, I think of Jordan, who would claw your eyeballs out to win. He's just a winner and that's what Deshaun is ... I had to call Deshaun and say. 'Hey man sorry I put you in this position.'"
