Donald Trump got an NFL quarterback to come visit him. Even if the quarterback in question hasn’t thrown an NFL pass yet.
Texans rookie Deshaun Watson was on hand yesterday for Clemson’s visit to the White House, celebrating their national championship game victory over Alabama.
Texans owner Bob McNair was cited by Trump, and arranged for his first-round pick to be there (along with Carlos Watkins, the Clemson defensive tackle and Texans fourth-rounder).
But Trump’s praise of Watson was notable —"He’s going to be a great NFL player,” the President said, via NFL.com — and he brought him up to the podium for a handshake.
“Offensive MVP, quarterback Deshaun Watson, took some very, very hard hits [against Alabama]. But he never rattled,” Trump said. “He’s great under pressure. I’ve seen that, I’ve heard that. He always got right back up. And he fought, and he fought, and he kept winning. Now he’ll bring that toughness together to the Houston Texans.”
Trump’s friend Tom Brady skipped the Patriots’ recent trip to the White House, citing personal family reasons.