DESMOND WATSON has been invited back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he was brutally cut.
At 464 pounds, defensive tackle Watson was the heaviest player in NFL history.
Desmond Watson has been given a tryout by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/caption]
It comes after he failed to make the cut for their final roster for the season[/caption]
But Watson could prove invaluable against the Philadelphia Eagles’ Tush Push tactic[/caption]
Having been picked up as an undrafted free agent in the offseason, the Buccaneers immediately put him on a rigorous weight loss programme.
However, the 22-year-old Florida Gators product failed to make the cut for Tampa’s final team roster ahead of the season.
He spent pre-season on the non-football injury list while working on his weight, while spending practices and games on the sidelines while trying to slim down.
But per the league’s transaction report, Watson has been handed a career lifeline after the Bucs invited him to a tryout.
The move comes ahead of games against the Philadelphia Eagles and their game-breaking “Tush-push” strategy.
The Tush Push — when a quarterback is under center and gets a shove, or multiple shoves, from behind in a short-yardage situation – has been subjected to calls to ban it.
But in an NFL owners’ vote in May it fell two short of the required 24 votes needed to ban it.
The Bucs may feel that Watson’s physical profile may give them a unique counter to the move which spearheaded the Eagles to the Super Bowl title last season.
According to NBC, the Bucs have continued to work with Watson as he continues his weight loss programme.
During training camp and preseason, team general manager Jason Licht laid out what Watson had to do to get on the field.
He said: “We have some milestones we want him to hit before we get him out there.
“He’s doing a solid job getting there.
“That’s all I’ll say.”
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There are no assurances of another Tush Push vote despite fresh uproar in the opening weeks of the 2025 season.
The Athletic said some in attendance at NFL meetings “came away convinced the ban could finally happen this offseason”.
Meanwhile, ESPN claimed the issue could be placed on the back burner for another year.
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The 2025 season is near and you can scoop up tickets to watch your favorite team for a great deal.
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