Undrafted free agent DT Desmond Watson.
Officially, former Gators defensive lineman Desmond Watson, a Tampa native, was signed as an undrafted free agent at 464 pounds.
As a result, he’s officially the heaviest player signed to an NFL contract. (Teammate Tez Johnson at 154 is the lightest player ever drafted.)
Since he signed with the Bucs, Watson has admitted he’s shed weight, though how much is unknown. He will need to drop more to make the Bucs and they have him on a weight loss and nutrition plan to help him.
The one thing Watson doesn’t want to be known for is being another William “The Refrigerator” Perry.
Back in the 1980s, Perry, 355 pounds, was then the heaviest player in NFL history. He played for the Bears in their Super Bowl era heyday and the height of their national popularity. That buzz helped propel Perry to cultural stardom.
Part of that was Perry, a defensive tackle, became a short-yardage fullback. Watson wants no part of that, he said yesterday at One Buc Palace.
“I’m a lineman,” the ever-smiling Big Gator said. “[Running], it’s not my thing.”
Watson did run the ball against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa last December. The Gators had the game in hand and Watson had his lone run late in the game, converting (barely) a third-and-one.
Watson didn’t like it.
“I was against it,” Watson said. He felt peer pressure to capitulate and run the ball because so many of his teammates wanted him to run.
And the Armwood High grad hopes that will be his last run.
Watson also hopes he doesn’t go down in history as just the heaviest player in the NFL.
“It’s a good story but at the same time, I don’t want that to be my narrative,” Watson said. “I want to be known as a football player — a good football player. But it’s nice to be able to make history.”
Watson seems to perpetually wear a smile. Asked about always smiling, he basically said he’s living a dream.
“I’m happy,” Watson said, smiling of course. “This is a dream come true. I can’t do anything but smile.”
And Watson said his life has turned Hollywood. Though he never was a Bucs fan until he signed with the team — he said his mother is a huge Bucs fan and often tried to convert him, to no avail.
Joe asked Watson what team he grew up rooting for, and Watson smartly replied, “Another team.” He wouldn’t tip anyone off what team that was.
Watson said, despite not being a Bucs fan, he still always looked up to Vita Vea.
Now, Vea is a teammate. Surreal, he said.
“It is like a movie script,” Watson said.
He noted he has always tried to model his game after Vea.
One of the more impressive athletic feats I’ve seen!
6-6, 437-pound rookie Desmond Watson showcasing his elite lateral footwork on the ladder. The #Bucs got a gem! 💎
(via @Buccaneers) pic.twitter.com/4Q7ZxpWjEc
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 11, 2025
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