Deshaun Watson’s Diet: How It’s Changed Since He Entered The NFL

Deshaun Watson is still in the middle of his rehab from an ACL tear he suffered last November. Since the injury occurred and throughout the entire offseason, all reports and interviews regarding this shredded knee have been positive. Watson’s recovering well. He’s ahead of schedule. He will be ready for OTAs.

But what you haven’t heard about is what Watson eats during the recovery process. He gave a short interview to GQ about his current diet; you can read the entire interview here. Below are excerpts from it that talk about Watson’s diet specifically.

What does a typical day look like for you during the rehab process?

I wake up and eat breakfast before going to the facility for a full day of training. Once I get there, I work directly with my trainer to go over the day’s program, which includes both rehab exercises and isolation exercises that continue to strengthen other parts of my body. After workouts, I head home to eat and focus on recovery.

You’ve been rehabbing from a major injury alongside J. J. Watt. How has that affected your own recovery?

J.J. is an inspiration, not just for me but also for the entire team. He’s been in the league for a while, and he has a lot of advice and tips he’s willing to share. It’s been great to bounce my questions off of him, and to get his honest feedback. Even though it was disappointing to get hurt during my rookie season, it’s been great to have someone like him to push me during the process.

In what ways have you had to alter your diet since the injury?

As a rookie, I worked with my agent and the training staff to figure out what diet works for my body naturally. But after I got injured, it was apparent that I needed to follow a more regimented nutrition plan. I now have a strict meal plan that I follow five times a week.

I’m a southern boy raised in Gainesville, Georgia, so it’s natural for me to want fast food and sweet tea, but those are the things I’ve had to cut back on. It’s been hard, but in order to be the best player I can be on the field, I had to limit them or completely cut them out.

What’s your diet philosophy like now?

For me, it’s about convenience, as well as having enough protein to help build and sustain muscle. I have a partnership with Just Crack an Egg, and since I’m usually trying to rush to the training facility in the mornings, I eat one of their breakfast bowls, which usually keep me full until lunch. For lunch, I aim for a lean protein, some starch, and leafy greens, which are full of magnesium. Between lunch and dinner, I try and snack on fruit and granola. For dinner, I try to mimic lunch, but with a protein that is also high in omega fatty acids, which help with my recovery.

Are you still snacking on gummy worms to the extent you were back in Clemson?

Oh, I eat a lot healthier now. In college, we were teenagers, and we really weren’t too concerned with what we ate, as long as we were full and had enough energy to perform. Now, heading into my second season in the NFL, I am definitely more conscious of what I put into my body.

On game days, though? My guilty pleasure is still sour gummy worms. I still have to have them.

What you haven’t heard about is now something you have heard about.