Deshaun Watson Father Bio: Wife, Kids, NFL & Family

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Deshaun Watson, NFL Quarterback’s father name is Don Richardson, and Watson spent his whole life in his absence as he was raised by his mother, Deann Watson.

Deshaun Watson is a footballer who plays for the Houston Texans in the National Football League. He serves as a quarterback for the NFL team.

He came from a very struggling family and had to work hard to find his place in the NFL. A single mother raised the athlete. 

Deshaun Watson’s father, Don Richardson, was not there to look after him as he grew up. As far as our knowledge, his father is still an absent figure in his life.

However, he had a great support system, and his relatives stepped up in his time of need. On top of struggling to make ends meet, the NFL player’s mother was diagnosed with tongue cancer when he was a high schooler. 

NFL Player Deshaun Watson (Source: Wikipedia)
NFL Player Deshaun Watson (Source: Wikipedia)

As a result, Deshaun had to grow up way young and take responsibility for his mother and siblings. He used to look after his younger siblings while working jobs to support his family.

He also played basketball and football at school and was on top of his academics. Hence, the QB knew he wanted to live a better life and get out of the hood early. 

With perseverance, hard work, and discipline, Watson could make his dream a reality. Currently, he is considered one of the best footballers in the league. 

Before details about Deshaun Watson’s father’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him. 

Quick Facts | Don Richardson

Full Name Don Richardson
Birth Place United States
Religion Christian
Nationality American
Ethnicity African America
Deshaun Watson Nickname Rook
Deshaun Watson Profession  NFL Player
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Brown
Profession Not Available
Marital Status Unknown
Ex-Partner Deann Watson
Kids Detrick Watson, Deshaun Watson, Tyreke Watson, and Tinisha Watson
Deshaun Watson Team Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson’s Active Years 2017 – Present
League NFL
Deshaun Watson’s Net Worth Est. $24 Million
Deshaun Watson Jersey Number #4
Merchandise Houston Texans Jersey, Rookie Card
Social Media  Instagram, Twitter
Last Updated March, 2024

Deshaun Watson Father | Early Life, Family, And Kids

Deshaun Watson’s father is Don Richardson. Unlike most kids, the NFL player has his mother’s last name as she was raised alone. 

Moreover, many sources have claimed that Watson never even met his father. Nevertheless, Don has been absent from his kids’ lives since they were young.  

Hence, Deshaun and his siblings grew up without a fatherly presence in their lives, and the family depended on their mother’s income for a living. They used to live in a government-run apartment.

However, the neighborhood was not the best place to grow up, as many drug dealers and gang members resided there. So the QB tried his best to focus on school and football and getting out of there.

Deshaun Watson Mother
Deshaun Watson Gifts His Mother A New Car. (Source: Instagram)

Once Deshaun brought a Habitat for Humanity flyer after hearing about the program.  Shortly after, the Watson family was gifted a new home by former NFL running back Warrick Dunn through the organization. 

Raised By A Single Mom

Rook was a very dedicated student and did his best to help his mother. However, things got terrible when Deann was diagnosed with stage five tongue cancer. 

At the time, Deshaun was in high school, and his whole world turned upside down. As a result, all the household and financial responsibilities fell on the athlete’s shoulders and his older brother, Detrick.

Not to mention, the footballer worked four jobs to keep the family afloat while his mother was battling cancer. Eventually, Deann kicked cancer to the curb, and Deshaun made it through high school. 

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Education And NFL Draft

While graduating from Gainesville High School, his high school coach suggested he should think about a career in football as he saw a lot of potential in Watson. But, until then, the NFL player never believed he could get into the league. 

After that, he had a tremendous collegiate career at Clemson University with the Clemson Tigers and won many awards and honors. Shortly after, several media outlets and experts considered Rook a top prospect and a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. 

The Houston Texans drafted him as the 12th pick overall in the first round. Coincidentally, Warrick Dunn, who helped him get a house through Habitat for Humanity, is also a 12th pick overall. 

Although growing up without a father was challenging and brought struggles for Watson, even though he managed to make the best.

Instead of seeing the problems in his life as problems, the athlete saw them as opportunities to grow and build himself up. 

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Deshaun Watson Father | Age, Height, And Weight

Since there is minimal information on Deshaun Watson’s father’s birth and physique, his details like age, height, and weight are unknown. However, Don’s son recently turned 28 years old on September 14, 2024. 

Furthermore, the footballer is reasonably fit and has a toned physique. Likewise, he is 6 ft 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighs 215 lb (98 kg). 

Deshaun Watson Father | Professional Career

As the Watson family rarely talks about Don and his career, we do not know what the player’s father does for a living.

On the other hand, his oldest son Tyreke worked at the clothing and apparel company Diamond Supply Co while Detrick worked at Gainesville Housing Authority. Likewise, Deshaun Watson is a well-known NFL player for the Houston Texans.

The Texans team drafted him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft as the 12th pick. The QB had a tremendous collegiate career, making him a top prospect for the draft. 

He was the 2016 CFP National Champion and CFP National Championship Offensive MVP. Similarly, the athlete was also the recipient of the 2016 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the 2017 Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award. 

Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson (Source: Pinterest)

Not to mention, the player received the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award twice. Moreover, he was also the ACC Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2017. 

Furthermore, Watson ranked 51st in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019 list, and the following year Texans signed a four-year contract extension worth $177.5 million with the footballer. 

Sexual Assault Allegations 

In March of 2021, many female massage therapists accused Deshaun of sexually assaulting them and misbehaving.

Although he has denied any wrongdoing, 22 women have filed a lawsuit, and 10 have filed a police complaint against him.

Likewise, even the FBI is involved in this case, and Watson’s lawyer confirmed that his client had met with them.

Similarly, NFL is also conducting an independent investigation against the QB but has decided to let him be in the league despite the seriousness of the situation. However, the Texans have named him a backup player for the 2021 NFL season. 

Even though Rook requested a trade, the Houston team has no intentions of trading or negotiating a transaction. Moreover, as of now, many of Watson’s endorsers have terminated their contracts with him. 

Hence, due to the steep amount of allegations against the player, his promising career in the NFL does not seem very bright. 

Much attention has been paid to Deshaun Watson’s suspension from the Cleveland Browns in 2022.

However, the $5 million fine that comes with Watson’s negotiated 11-game suspension is important for a few reasons.

Deshaun is the first player to be fined under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

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Deshaun Watson Father | Girlfriend, Wife, And Marriage

The only known relationship of Deshaun Watson’s father is with his mother, Deann. Although not sure, it is most likely that they were high school friends or close neighbors. 

The former pair share four kids altogether, including the NFL player. Their first son Detrick Watson recently got married in 2021 to Lameshia after the birth of their son Dylan Watson. 

Deshaun And Jilly With Detrick And Lameshia
Deshaun And Jilly With Detrick And Lameshia (Source: Pinterest)

Besides that, the pair also have other children. The two have been together for a long time before tying the knot. Lamesa is a college graduate of Lanier Technical College.

Furthermore, Deshaun is in a relationship with singer, model, and social media personality Jilly Anais.

She has over 2.6 Million followers on Instagram and is also a successful entrepreneur who owns a fragrance line called Boss Babe. 

Likewise, she has also written a cookbook. Not to mention, Anais is a fitness lover and runs a Youtube channel where she shares a bit about her lifestyle and health. 

Deshaun Watson Father | Net Worth, Salary, And Endorsements

Don Richardson’s net worth and wealth amount are not known to the public yet. Nevertheless, his son Deshaun’s net worth is estimated to be over $50 Million.

Furthermore, his career earnings from the NFL amount to $51,395,478. Likewise, as per his new contract, he is expected to earn $35 million in salary. 

Besides that, he earns exceptionally well through endorsement deals and sponsorships. His top endorsers were Nike, Beats By Dre, Rolex, etc. 

Deshaun Watson Father | Social Media Presence

Deshaun Watson’s Father is not active on any social media platforms. However, his children are available on many social media platforms. 

The QB has an Instagram handle with over 1.4 million followers. He occasionally shares his beautiful family and stunning girlfriend on his account. 

Deshaun Watson Family
Deshaun Watson With His Mother And Siblings (Source: Pinterest)

Similarly, Watson has a Twitter account with over 1.4 Million followers and mostly shares his life as an NFL player through his handle. However, as of now, he is not much active on social media platforms. 

Besides that, Detrick has an Instagram handle with almost a thousand followers. Likewise, Tyreke has over 779 followers on his Instagram account. 

Deshaun Watson Father | FAQs

Who is Deshaun Watson's wife?

The quarterback is neither married nor engaged yet. Although there are rumors regarding his engagement with his long-term girlfriend, Jilly Anais, neither has confirmed the news. 

Is Deshaun being traded to the Broncos?

No, the Texans are not trading Deshaun to the Broncos. He was traded to Cleveland Browns.

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Urusha Niroula
Urusha Niroulahttps://playersbio.com/
My name is Urusha Niroula. I have been working as a writer at Playersbio.com since September 2020. I have always had a great fondness for English writing, speaking, and reading. Furthermore, my hobbies include going on walks and short rides, watching Netflix, and sometimes sitting idly.

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