Ronnie Harrison thought he had Deshaun Watson. On an attempt to force himself into the end zone late in the fourth on Sunday, the Texans quarterback ran towards the corner of the goal line approaching the Jaguars safety. Though they didn’t collide.
Watson — in Michael Jordan-like fashion — lept over Harrison to clear his tackle attempt. Though it didn’t count for a touchdown, the scene created a moment that will be on the posters of many walls across the nation.
That’s not the first time Watson has hurdled on an attempted touchdown run. In fact, it’s not the first time he has hurdled Harrison either.
In the 2016 College Football National Championship game, Watson, in the fourth quarter, leaped over Alabama’s Harrison to nearly prop himself into the end zone.
He did not forget about that moment after Sunday.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Tuesday shared that Watson sent him a picture of the two hurdles side by side.
“This is unbelievable,” said Swinney, via Clemson Sports Talk. “I’m driving to Greenville and I get a text from Deshaun Watson. I read his text and he sent me a picture of him hurdling a dude. He says it’s the same end zone, same guy from Alabama that he hurdled in the championship game.”
Watson takes names. He remembers them. Then, he will hurdle over them. In the case of Sunday’s matchup and the National Championship game, he will beat them too.
The Pro Bowl field general and the Texans are resting up during their bye for Week 10 with a 6-3 record and first place in the AFC South. The sweep of the Jaguars is the second straight for Houston since 2017, Watson’s rookie season, when Jacksonville swept the Texans. The loss dropped the Jaguars to 4-5 heading into their bye week.
