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The Texans fined Deshaun Watson $7,500 and some of his teammates $5,000 each for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols during the opening of the quarterback’s restaurant last week.
Watson said he plans to pay not only his fine but the fines for his teammates who were there. That likely means paying them back since fine money comes out of paychecks, and the player who was fined is required to pay the fine himself.
It’s a nice gesture nonetheless.
“I told those guys I’m going to take care of it; they don’t have to worry about it,” Watson said Wednesday, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I’m going to handle that, and we’ll keep going on. We don’t want to cause any other distractions or any unnecessary things going on. That’s going to be handled by me and my team and we’re going to continue to go with the flow.”
Social media posts show six Texans players gathered together for a photo without masks at the Dec. 15 event at Lefty’s, a cheesesteak franchise.
Watson, a minority owner of the restaurant, is in the photo, along with offensive linemen Tytus Howard, Roderick Johnson and Laremy Tunsil, running back Duke Johnson and receiver Brandin Cooks. Defensive end Charles Omenihu, who was not pictured, also attended the opening, Sarah Barshop of ESPN reports.
The NFL’s COVID-19 protocols prohibit more than three players from gathering together outside the team facility, and masks are required.
“Honestly, they were all saying at first, ‘Nah, we’re going to pay it,'” Watson said. “They showed the love and support. They didn’t really care about the fine with the NFL was really trying to do with it. I told them I’m going to take care of it.
“You guys were just showing love and support and really just enjoying the food. I really appreciate the support from my guys and my teammates and everyone that came by. They weren’t really sweating the fines, either. At the same time, I told them I was going to do it.”