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Deshaun Watson Grew Up in a Home Donated by Falcons Legend Warrick Dunn

Sneha Singh
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“Reverse Order of Talent”: Fans Up in Arms as Deshaun Watson Tops List of ‘Most Cash Earned’ Player in the Past 3 Years

It’s rightly said that no good deed goes to waste, and Deshaun Watson is a living example of it. The Browns quarterback grew up in a Georgia home, making core memories of his childhood. This was made possible thanks to the noble efforts of none other than Tampa Bay legend Warrick Dunn.

When Watson was drafted by the Texans in the first round, an older picture of him resurfaced. It showed Dunn presenting the keys to their house to 11-year-old Deshaun and his family.

Notably, Dunn had donated his entire signing bonus for the ‘Home for the Holidays’ cause, aiming to help single parents buy their own homes.


As luck would have it, the Watsons were among the many lives touched by Dunn’s kindness. Through his charity, ‘The Warrick Dunn Foundation,’ the athlete has helped provide down payments and furnishings for over 150 families. He was inspired by the struggles of his own mother, a single mother of six, who met an untimely death.

“She went out of her way even when she didn’t have a lot to help other people,” said Dunn via CNN. “She lost her life, and she was never able to realize her dream of homeownership.” 

Dunn moved on in his life with one purpose in his mind: “to do something that had a real impact in the community.” His noble efforts have helped hundreds of families, including Watson’s, who carry forward the legacy of the NFL legend.

Watson follows in Dunn’s footsteps

When an 11-year-old Watson moved into his new home in Gainesville, Georgia, it was truly a coming-of-age moment for him!

“I felt grown having my own room,” he said, back in 2017 via AP. “Just having my own bed, not really being squished, not really worrying about someone sneaking up on me, it was a great moment, a special moment.”

Having experienced firsthand how good deeds can go a long way in changing someone’s life, Watson also decided to give back to the community. The quarterback donated his first NFL cheque to aid the victims of the Harvey Hurricane. The natural disaster caused widespread devastation around Houston and the Gulf Coast in August 2017.

Shortly after joining the Texans, Watson reached out to three NRG Stadium cafeteria employees who were reeling from the aftereffects of the hurricane. He personally met the workers and offered his help with a smile, saying, “Hopefully, that helps.”

The Houston Texans shared the heartwarming video on their official X account:

Warrick Dunn is a shining example of the impact one can make with empathy. Moreover, Watson has followed the same values and, along with many others, carries forward this noble legacy.

Post Edited By:Samnur Reza

About the author

Sneha Singh

Sneha Singh

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Sneha Singh is an NFL journalist for The SportsRush. She is currently pursuing engineering, but her passion for writing and love for American football led her to join The SportsRush in 2024. With prior experience at various media outlets across genres, Sneha has been following the sport for the past three years. What started from coffee table banter with her friends arguing for their favorite teams, soon developed into a deep-rooted love for the sport. Before she knew it, Sneha was passionately following the offseason, tracking trades, draft prospects, and heartbreaking retirements. The two teams she holds closest to her heart are the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. The last two years have been quite eventful for Sneha, as both of her favorite teams made it to the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. However, her first live game ended in heartbreak when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Eagles on the grandest stage. The disappointment carried into the following year when the Chiefs beat the 49ers. Even Jason Kelce announced his retirement, which she wasn't thrilled about, but she appreciates that he's still connected to the league in various ways. When it comes to covering a story, it's not just the on-field action that excites Sneha but also the behind-the-scenes strategies, stories, and business dealings. She currently has over 400 articles to her name. Outside the NFL, Sneha finds solace in fiction. Whether it's books, films, anime, or video games, as long as there is a good story with creative expression, she's there for it. On the flip side, Sneha also likes to code and is an avid ML developer. What little time is left when she is not writing, consuming, or coding, Sneha likes to play the guitar.

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