We already knew Deshaun Watson was a supremely talented quarterback. Now we know he’s a tough one as well.
On at least three occasions, Watson pulled himself out of Clemson’s game against South Carolina because of a leg issue. He returned each time, however, and helped the Tigers snap its five-game losing streak to the Gamecocks.
As it turns out, and unbeknownst to most, Watson was playing with a rather significant injury.
“Basically, his knee brace was his ACL today,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Deshaun is just a mental and genetic freak. I told him you gotta go to the gas station and fill up with no matter what you’ve got.”
That’s right, Watson sustained a torn ACL -- some say it was a partial tear -- in his left knee during practice leading up to the Nov. 22 Georgia State game. He had injured the same knee in the Nov. 15 game against Georgia Tech, but that was described at the time as an LCL issue.
Swinney said Watson will play in Clemson’s bowl game, then undergo surgery. That should allow the true freshman to rehab and return for summer camp early next August.