Jadeveon Clowney said Deshaun Watson is the reason he re-joined the Cleveland Browns.
On Thursday, via Anthony Lima of Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan, the defensive end told reporters he wanted to play with his former Houston Texans teammate.
“I just wanted to go play with him, and see what I could do with him again,” Clowney said.
Shortly before Watson got traded to Cleveland, who gave him a record-setting $230 million in guaranteed money, the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints had emerged as the supposed front-runners. Clowney said he “probably would have” followed Watson to Atlanta.
Instead, Clowney signed a one-year, $11 million deal to stay in Cleveland, where he registered nine sacks last season. This will mark the first time he spends a second year with the same team since playing his first five seasons in Houston.
However, Clowney might not get to play many (if any) games with Watson in 2022.
The quarterback could still face a suspension from the NFL amid 24 (soon to be 26) civil lawsuits, each accusing him of sexual harassment and assault during massage sessions.
Although two Texas grand juries chose not to indict Watson, Houston Police Department detective Kamesha Baker said in a deposition that she believed Watson committed crimes. Baker was one of two officers who investigated 10 criminal complaints against Watson.
Clowney chose to follow him to Cleveland.