FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 8th, 2017

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA FEATURES MIKE TIRICO’S INTERVIEW WITH HOUSTON TEXANS ROOKIE QB DESHAUN WATSON

“Keep God first, stay in school, and be the kid that I want you to be and you’ll be fine.” – Deshaun Watson on what his mother told him as a teenager

“It was literally as simple as a cell phone video and a fundraiser.” – J.J. Watt on his hurricane relief efforts which have raised $37 million

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 8, 2017 – Tonight’s Week 5 edition of NBC’s Football Night in America, the most-watched weekly studio show in sports, will feature an interview by Mike Tirico with Houston Texans rookie QB Deshaun Watson; an update from Texans DL J.J. Watt on his hurricane relief efforts; a feature on the NFL’s No. 1 rusher Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt; and highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 5 games, ahead of tonight’s Chiefs-Texans Sunday Night Football showdown.

Football Night airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC. Tirico will host Sunday’s program live from inside the stadium, joined on site by the Sunday Night Football team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya.

Dan Patrick hosts Football Night from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1, joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, and NFL Insider Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. Paul Burmeister will report from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on the Packers-Cowboys game.

INTERVIEW: Below are excerpts from Tirico’s interview with Watson. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America.”


MIKE TIRICO WITH DESHAUN WATSON

Watson on the impact Habitat for Humanity has had on his life: “I was a little boy actually and I just went to a church function, a Halloween party, and came home with a candy bag. Of course, my mom wanted to check the candy bag and make sure everything was straight. So she poured out the bag and saw the card that said, Habitat for Humanity — chance to win a house. She went online and filled out the application. And then two years later, we were blessed with the house. It was just a cool feeling to get out of the environment that I was in and start something new. Have that foundation and family feeling.”

Watson on becoming the family leader after his mother’s cancer diagnosis: “It made me grow and become a man before I really wanted to — 13, 14 years old, life was hitting me fast. So I’m going to school, playing sports, but also going to work. I take care of my younger brother and younger sister, make sure they have food, getting to school and their activities. I knew that my mom was going to be strong. That’s the first thing that she told me, it was like, ‘I’m going to get through this. Keep God first, stay in school, and be the kid that I want you to be and you’ll be fine.’ She’s doing well.”

Watson on giving his first game check to three cafeteria workers impacted by Hurricane Harvey: “They’re here at 4:30 [a.m.], leaving here about 9:30 [p.m.]. They’re always having smiles, not complaining, always having joy, and love coming here. And no one knew about their story…was like ‘I need to do this.’”

Watson on where his drive to be a leader on the field, in his family, and in the community comes from: “Just my supporting cast and the people that I’ve been around. It started with my mom, of course. Coach [Dabo] Swinney always told me, ‘Don’t just be a leader, be a serving leader. Serve others and you’ll be able to bless others. That’s going to take you further in life.’ So that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

J.J. WATT HURRICANE RELIEF FUND UPDATE

Watt: “It was literally as simple as a cell phone video and a fundraiser. I didn’t know if we were going to hit $200,000. The great people of the world took it from there and ended up with over $37 million.

“Since we ended the donations, what I’ve been doing is having personal meetings, phone calls, conversations with all different organizations who are here, on the ground in Houston. The No. 1 thing that I learned from people in other disasters was make sure you take your time to do it right.

“We are going to do a lot of good things. It’s going to cover a few different areas. It’s going to do things like rebuilding homes, food banks, and childcare centers, and medicine, and healthcare. I just want people to know that I’m making that $37 million go as far as we possibly can but there is so much more out there to be done so please keep donating. Please keep helping to all of these other organizations who are doing such great things.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA