When the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, Anthony Walker quickly agreed to switch to No. 5 so the quarterback can keep wearing No. 4.
Although Walker didn’t ask for anything in return, Watson surprised the linebacker with a Rolex as he spoke to reporters Tuesday.
Walker expressed his appreciation, but declined to open it on the spot.
“Yeah, Deshaun said he was coming to Cleveland, I text him 10 seconds later and said, ‘Welcome to Cleveland, No. 4,'” Walker told reporters. “That was it.”
After acquiring him from the Houston Texans, Cleveland awarded Watson a $230 million contract even though he faces 22 civil lawsuits from women accusing him of inappropriate sexual conduct during massage sessions.
His first accuser, Ashley Solis, expressed dismay over the record-breaking deal during an interview on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel that aired Tuesday night.
“It’s just like a big ‘screw you,'” Solis said “That’s what it feels like. That we don’t care. He can run and throw, and that’s what we care about.”
Solis also said she felt threatened by Watson after the session.
Another accuser, Kyla Hayes, called the contract “sick,” telling HBO that it comes across as if he’s “being rewarded for bad behavior.”
The day after this interview aired, Watson gave Walker a gift in front of an audience.