Deshaun Watson announces father’s death, days before Browns season opener

Deshaun Watson announces father’s death, days before Browns season opener

When Deshaun Watson takes the field against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, he’ll do so with a heavy heart.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback announced via social media on Friday that his father, Don Richardson, has passed away.

“Rest in peace Pops,” Watson wrote on Instagram.

Watson, 28, was reportedly estranged from his father, telling the Houston Chronicle in 2017 that he rarely saw his father.

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“Maybe five times, tops,” Watson said.

“My mom was basically my mom and dad, so I didn’t really pay much attention to it. My friends had dads. But for me, it was just like, ‘Hey, my mom is the one I’m going to rely on and always focus on.'”

Instead of using Richardson as his last name, the quarterback uses his mother’s last name.

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Deshaun Watson looks on

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson walks onto the field before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns Stadium. (Scott Galvin/USA Today Sports)

It’s no secret that Watson is under immense pressure this season. After playing at Clemson University, where he led the Tigers to a national championship with a final-minute touchdown against Alabama, he was selected by the Houston Texans with the 12th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Watson played three Pro Bowl seasons with the Texans before being traded to the Cleveland Browns. In 2022, Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of his Browns tenure after being accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women.

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Deshaun Watson in action

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson before a game against the Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns Stadium. (Ken Blaze/USA Today Sports)

He played the final six games of the 2022 season with the Browns, finishing 3-3. Watson led the Browns to a 5-1 start in 2023 before suffering an injury and undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in November.

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