Texans Daily

'Sometimes Divorce is Good': Coach Lovie Smith on Texans' Deshaun Watson Trade

"For our football team, we needed to move on." - Lovie Smith.

Mike Fisher

Anyone who has ever gone through an actual divorce recognizes how truly painful it can be for all parties.

Nevertheless, sometimes a breakup is or the best.

So it is, says Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith, of the depature from Houston of superstar QB Deshaun Watson.

“Sometimes divorce is good, and that’s my statement that I’ve made a lot of times when you know a split’s going to happen, and both parties are going to win once it does,” Smith said during a recent appearance on "The Cris Collinsworth Podcast.''

Smith made it clear that he was not privy to all the details of the conflict Watson had with the Houston front office (in part due to his hiring without the involvement of of Watson's voice, as was apparently promised) or of the legal issues that continue to linger even after the March 18 trade with the Cleveland Browns, who sent a massive haul of value, including three first-round picks, for the rights to Watson.

But Smith makes it clear here that he was in support of the move. Not necessarily because of any innocence or guilt on the part of Watson, who was employed by the Texans but who did not suit up for the team in 2021, and who remains entangled in over 20 lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and assault as the NFL continues to weigh whether a suspension is in order for the now Browns QB.

Smith has put his support behind Houston second-year pro Davis Mills as its starting quarterback. A third-round pick out of Stanford, Mills played well enough as a rookie, especially as he developed late, throwing for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 games.

“I don’t know exactly what happened,'' Smith said of the Watson situation. "The accusations are there, and if they have merit that will all come out in time. But for our football team, we needed to move on."

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983, is the Texas-based author of two best-selling books on the NFL.