Benjamin Watson is a popular American footballer who currently plays for the NFL Saints in New Orleans. Watson is also an author who has published a number of books, including Father’s New Reading Book (2016) , Under Our Skin (2015), and Taylor’s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables. He carved out a niche for himself in reputable sports, scoring 48 on Wonderlic Personnel’s test and finished third with the highest score of any player in league history.
Watson also won Super Bowl XXXIX with the England Patriots (2004 – 2010) against the Philadelphia Eagles and played with other teams like the Cleveland Brown from 2010 to 2012.
Biography of Benjamin Watson
Benjamin Seth Watson was born on December 18, 1980, in Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America. Growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, he attended Northwestern High School where he was a man of letters in both track and football. He led his team to the state championship in his junior year and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In his senior year as a football player, he caught 31 passes for 515 yards and was selected twice in all regions and HS North West Student of the Year. Watson competed in other sports including track and field in which he was an excellent sprinter, with a personal best of 22.37 seconds in the 200 meters and 50.03 seconds in the 400 meters.
Career
Coming out of high school, Benjamin Watson committed to playing football, first at Duke University (1999) and then at the University of Georgia (2001-2003) to study finance. He played one season at Duke and three seasons at Georgia, totaling 73 catches for 945 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Watson’s overall performance at the 2004 NFL paired deeply impressed team reps and scouts. He completed all of the combine and positional drills, earning a score of 48 on the Wonderlic test, which was ranked as the highest score by any player in league history. At the end of the practice session, NFL scouts and drafting experts offered Benjamin Watson a second-round pick, as well as the draft’s third-best tight end prospect.
He started playing pro after signing with the New England Patriots who picked him 32nd overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. His first contract with the team was for six years and worth $13.50 million, including a signing bonus of $3.81 million. He had a taste of victory during his early career with the team, registering two assists for a 16-yard pass in their 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Through his seasons with the Patriots (2004-2009) as his starting point, Watson appeared in a total of 71 games, 167 receptions, for 2,102 yards and 20 touchdowns. He won a Super Bowl ring in the first season after the Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 in Super Bowl XXXIX, but not without injuring his knee in the third round of his first game with the team.
Benjamin Watson was offered a contract by two teams: Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks, an unrestricted free agent in 2010. He then signed a 12-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, worth 12 million dollars, with 6 .35 million guaranteed, March 12, 2010. He was named a starter started the regular season and later played as a tight end in 2012. In 45 games with the Browns, he had a total of 154 receptions for 1,674 yards and 8 touchdowns.
In 2013, Watson signed a three-year, $4, $95 million contract with the New Orleans Saints (2013 – 2015) and was named the second tight end to start the season. After suffering an injury, he played as a squad in a 30–27 loss to his former team, New England Patriots. In Week 10, he suffered a concussion in the Saints’ 49–17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
He finished the reason with 113 total receptions for 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns in 47 games with the Saints. Watson became one of the offensive team captains in 2015, alongside teammates Zach Strief and Drew Brees.
After his contract with the Saints ended, the Baltimore Ravens signed Watson to a two-year, $7 million deal that included a $2 million signing bonus with a $3 million guarantee. He competed in practice at the tight start, but was later named the backup tight second to start the regular season. He completed the entire season, 16 games and 12 starts, or 61 receptions for 522 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. His efforts led to the Ravens 21–10 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, as well as a 27–10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 15.
Watson became an unrestricted free agent upon completing his two contracts with the Ravens and negotiating a second stint with New Orleans Saints on March 21, 2018, for one year of a $2 million contract, including a signing bonus of $645,000.
Body Stats
The 2004 first-round pick had his best season in the NFL at age 35 and remained surprisingly useful. With his body stats and 15 years in the game, aging doesn’t seem to apply to Watson at all. He is renowned as one of the hardest workers in New Orleans, due to his strength, speed, and leadership abilities. He is 1.91m (6’3”) tall and weighs 116kg.
wife and family
Benjamin Watson is married to his wife Kristen Watson and the couple has five children: Grace Makayla Watson, Naomi Love Watson, Judah Watson, Eden Moriah Watson, Isaiah Watson. They married in 2005 after meeting at a campus party. Since then, they continue to build their marriage on the strong virtues of Christianity.