Tampa Bay Buccaneers Nose Tackle Desmond Watson has a younger brother, Dyson McNeal, who lives with limited mobility and relies on a wheelchair.
Dyson McNeal suffered a stroke when he was 5 years old, which left him wheelchair-bound.
In response, Desmond chose to wear the jersey number 21 in his brother’s honor, since Dyson formerly wore that number.
Desmond Watson wears 21 to honor his younger brother who had a stroke. I'm forever a fan of this guy. #GoGators https://t.co/DA23cLQ4vf
— Just Call Me Jake (@Commando074) December 21, 2024
He even has “Dyson 21” tattooed on his left forearm as a tribute, which is inspired by his mother’s encouragement, who said, “Be his arms. Be his legs“.
When speaking for Disability Awareness Month while at the University of Florida, Watson shared about his younger brother, saying,
“He wore 21. He comes to most of my games. Whenever he sees me in uniform with No. 21 on, he lights up a lot. He really, really likes that.”
Despite facing such a disability at a young age, Desmond has always admired his brother and continues to honor and support him.
In the same interview during Disability Awareness Month, Desmond shared that he’s learned a lot from his brother, calling him brave, despite everything, he still manages to be happy.
“I feel like his situation really helped me understand other people’s disabilities, I feel like many people may look at how he looks, I guess you could say, with him having cerebral palsy. He can’t really function his limbs or talk. People might look at him and think that he can’t understand or has a learning disability, but he can read a room. He knows what people are saying. He still has the same attitude he had before. He is smart. He jokes around a lot in his own way. He can communicate with us. We know what he is trying to say.”
While Desmond loves his younger brother the most, he also has four other siblings, with his older brother, Darrian McNeal, being involved in the same sports as Desmond.
Tush Push Terminator Desmond Watson Grew Up With Five Siblings, Including an Older Brother, Darrian, a Former Slot Receiver!
Apart from Dyson, Desmond has five other siblings, while the details about the remaining three are not publicly disclosed. He has an older brother, Darrian, who also played football in college.
Darrian McNeal is a former slot receiver who played college football at the University of Oregon. Standing at 5 feet 9 inches and weighing 165 pounds.
He was a standout quarterback at Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida, before transitioning to receiver at Oregon.
Desmond has often spoken about the significant impact Darrian had on his life and athletic development.
In Case You Don’t Know
- Desmond’s mother, Deonzia Woullar, used to play basketball in her youth.
- Desmond once tipped the scale at 468 pounds, making him the heaviest player in Florida Gators history.
- Despite offers from Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, Desmond chose Florida to stay close to his family.
