Texans QB Deshaun Watson Cancels World Series Appearance After 'Minor Setback' With Swollen Left Eye

Sunday afternoon, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was kicked in the face by Oakland [...]

By John Newby

Sunday afternoon, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was kicked in the face by Oakland Raiders defensive end, Arden Key while escaping an attempted sack. While the injury did appear serious at the time and resulted in Watson being treated for several minutes, it was later revealed that he should be fine for the future. However, the third-year QB was forced to cancel an appearance at the World Series following what has been described as a "minor setback."

With Game 7 of the World Series taking place on Wednesday night, Watson was scheduled to yell "Play Ball" prior to the game. However, there was an issue with his swollen left eye, which forced Watson to rest it, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. The Texans QB will now avoid the bright lights of Minute Maid Park while the Astros attempt to capture their second World Series title in three seasons.

McClain did report that Watson should be fine for the battle in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although there will now be questions about whether or not he dons a helmet with a visor.

Of course, the answer won't be provided until Watson and the Texans arrive at Wembley Stadium for Sunday's battle with the Jaguars. The team is scheduled to fly out from Houston on Thursday, which will give them slightly more time to combat the jet lag and prepare for their first-ever game overseas.

As the de facto home team, the Jaguars have far more experience with suiting up in London due to traveling overseas every year since 2013 and have played six games in the United Kingdom. They are the veterans of the NFL's International Series, while the Texans are wet behind the ears.

In order to fight through Jacksonville's innate advantage, the Texans will need Watson to perform at the peak of his abilities while leading constant scoring drives. A critical part of this process will be ensuring that he can see properly out of his swollen left eye.

The Houston Astros and their fanbase may be disappointed that Watson won't be yelling "Play Ball" at Game 7, but the Texans coaching staff want to guarantee that he is recovered and ready to perform on Sunday afternoon.

Photo Credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty

0comments
Start the Conversation

of