By ERIC BLUM, US SPORTS REPORTER
Published: 07:39 EDT, 26 August 2025 | Updated: 07:39 EDT, 26 August 2025
After never officially taking the field for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the preseason, the heaviest player in NFL history, Desmond Watson, has been cut by the team.
Ahead of Tuesday's deadline for league teams to cut their rosters to 53 active members, Watson got the pink slip, in an expected move due to not appearing in the preseason as an undrafted NFL rookie.
Watson, a defensive lineman, weighed in at 464 pounds for the Buccaneers after a college career with the nearby Florida Gators.
Due to his weight, Watson was placed on Tampa Bay's non-football illness list and only taken off due to being cut.
Watson's mission to slim down and take part in team activities was never deemed successful and he will remain a long shot to get another NFL opportunity.
Before Watson, the heaviest NFL player ever as Aaron Gibson, a former offensive tackle, who was listed by the Dallas Cowboys at 410 pounds during the 2002 season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have cut Desmond Watson after he never appeared for the team
Watson was placed on Tampa Bay's non-football illness list and only taken off due to being cut
Last month, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Watson's absence from training camp was related to his weight.
'It's just about trying to get him better, to be a healthier player and get him on the field more,' Bowles said. 'That's where I'm at right now. He's working at it and we're working with him and that's all you can ask.'
'We have some things in mind with him, where we want to see him at,' Bowles said. 'He's made some progress. . . . I don't have a timetable on what we can get him down to or when that comes.'
Watson played in every game he suited up for the Gators, making 63 appearances for the Southeastern Conference school.
Watson notably played running back, for one play for Florida, during the 2024 Gasparilla Bowl against Tulane, gaining one yard.
Many cuts across the NFL on Tuesday will make their way to a team's practice squad, with any franchise retaining their rights, while not being part of the active 53-man roster. Watson is not one of those players, being cut outright.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers