Desmond Watson wants to be a lot more than a big footnote.
The heaviest player in NFL history made his debut with the Buccaneers this weekend at rookie minicamp and addressed his weight.
The 6-foot-6 Watson weighed in at 464 pounds at Florida 's pro day before going undrafted and signing with the Buccaneers.
He is said to have dropped 27 pounds since then — still setting the record.
Buccaneers nose tackle Desmond Watson (56) runs a drill during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. AP
"I feel like my name is etched in history, of course, as being the official heaviest player in the NFL or whatnot," Watson told reporters this week. "It's a good story, but at the same time I don't want that to be my narrative. I want to be known as a football player – and a good football player at that."
Known as a run-stuffing defensive tackle, Watson had 63 tackles and 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 51 games over four years at Florida.
He put up 36 reps on the 225-pound bench press, which was three more than any of the prospects invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
"He's got to make the team first all of all," head coach Todd Bowles said of Watson's role. "Right now, we just got to see how long he can stay on the field and put him on a [conditioning] program where we think he can make some progress. I think that's the biggest thing for us to do right now. We didn't get him and say, 'Hey, we've got to put you on the field right now.'
Buccaneers nose tackle Desmond Watson (56) works against Dvon J-Thomas (78) during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2025, AP
But Bowles made it clear that Watson is not a gimmick.
He reportedly signed a three-year contract with $50,000 guaranteed, including a $20,000 signing bonus.
"We didn't get him for the Tush Push," Bowles said. "We got him because we really thought he could play. It's just a matter of getting up to a point where he can play more than 2-3 plays a drive."
