MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The mother of Clemson and former Gainesville High standout quarterback Deshaun Watson isn't a football coach per se, but knows exactly what to say to her son before games.
"No matter what the game is, she tells me the same thing: 'Be calm, be cool, collected, go out there, have fun, trust your reads, trust your eyes, and lead this team, because you're a leader,'" Watson said. "That's what we've been doing, and once I hear those words, she says, 'I love you and go get it.' That kind of motivates me to go play hard."
Those are particularly powerful words from Deann Watson, since talking for her is extremely difficult. She's a tongue cancer survivor, having been dealing with the disease and its aftereffects for about four years.
Seeing what his mom has endured helps Deshaun Watson keep football's challenges in perspective.
"That's the way she raised me, through the struggle and the bad times," he said. "She's always been calm and cool. Just seeing her do that, that kind of made me to do the same thing and it translated onto the field. She's a big part of that."
Deann Watson was driving with family to the Orange Bowl. Deshaun Watson wasn't certain this week where her seats would be, but insisted he would know by game time so he could point at her and other relatives from the field _ one of their traditions.
"They're enjoying the moment," Deshaun Watson said, "just like me."
