Total Pro Sports
Nobody walks into an NFL locker room at 464 pounds without turning heads. But Desmond Watson didn’t just turn heads, he stirred up a whole lot of conversation.
The Buccaneers put former Florida Gators defensive tackle Desmond Watson with a camp designation that left fans and analysts think twice. Tampa Bay placed Watson on the non-football illness list. And the reason behind this is his weight. That move didn’t sit well with a lot of people.
Desmond Watson, a 6-foot-5 mountain of a man, was never expected to blend in. He weighed in at 440 pounds when he joined Florida and reached 464 by the time he hit the NFL Combine earlier this year. But despite going undrafted, the Bucs still saw potential. They gave him a contract with a $20,000 signing bonus and $50,000 guaranteed.
When camp opened Wednesday, the team placed Watson on the non-football illness list, a status typically reserved for issues unrelated to football injuries. Head coach Todd Bowles is quite frank about this decision.
“It’s just about trying to get him better to be a healthier player and getting him on the field a little more.” Bowles said.
WATCH: "It’s just about trying to get him better to be a healthier player and getting him on the field a little more."
Bucs DT Desmond Watson is on the non-football illness list to start camp. He is day-to-day.
They hope he loses some weight. The roster says he is 449 pounds. pic.twitter.com/aNO2DOSyzH
— Mark Skol, Jr. (@markskoljrTV) July 23, 2025
That blunt explanation received instant backlash. As it is important to understand that is Tampa Bay looking for any particular target weight for him. As in a league where linemen routinely tip the scales over 350 pounds, it is unjustified to make Watson sit outside.
Social media lit up with fans defending Watson, pointing to the long history of oversized linemen succeeding in the NFL. Many referenced Aaron Gibson, the former Cowboys tackle who still holds the record as the league’s heaviest player at 410 pounds.
Watson already slimmed down once. He dropped nearly 40 pounds as a freshman at Florida. Now, he may need to do it again if he wants a shot at making the final roster. Whether that happens or not, Tampa Bay’s decision to classify his size as an “illness” didn’t win them any popularity contests.
For now, Watson’s journey remains a wait-and-see story. But the Bucs didn’t just sign a big guy. They signed themselves into a big debate.
