Clemson alum Deshaun Watson gets prestigious honor for something other than football

Before he was injured, Deshaun Watson looked like a lock to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after a stellar start to his NFL career with the houston Texans.

But after the former Clemson quarterback tore his ACL, he might have to settle for also receiving votes for the postseason honor.

Should Watson come up short, he can soothe his feelings by knowing he was named to another prestigious list.

Watson was named one of the 10 “best-mannered people,” according to the National League of Junior Cotillions.

Watson ranked third on the list for his Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. In addition to donating his first NFL paycheck to stadium employees affected by the storm, he also paid to furnish 176 homes being rebuilt because of the damage.

“For what you all do for us every day and never complain, I really appreciate you all, so I wanted to give my first game check to y’all to help y’all out in some type of way,” Watson told the women. “Here you guys go.”

“Thank you guys, hopefully that helps. That should get you back on your feet,” Watson says as he embraces each of them. “Anything else y’all need, I’m always here to help. Thank you.”

Watson is no stranger to adversity himself. As a child in Gainesville, Ga., he played sports around his neighborhood with gangsters and drug dealers. He lived with his mother in a home built by Habitat for Humanity.

Throughout Watson’s record-breaking career at Clemson, he found time to give back through Habitat for Humanity.

Topping the 2017 Junior Cotillions list is pro golfer Rickie Fowler. Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman was second.

This story was originally published January 3, 2018 at 10:55 PM with the headline "Clemson alum Deshaun Watson gets prestigious honor for something other than football."