"If you can, you must."@deshaunwatson gave his first @NFL game check to help a few familiar faces. #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/rwcyGMSRFN
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 27, 2017
If you can remember your very first paycheck, you probably remember the joy of finally being able to buy something with the money you earned.
Deshaun Watson, rookie quarterback for the Houston Texans, was probably just as excited to earn his first NFL paycheck. Yet instead of going on a shopping spree, Watson donated his check to three Hurricane Harvey victims who worked in the Texans' cafeteria.
The Houston Texans posted a video to Twitter, showing Watson holding a series of envelopes, walking into the cafeteria, and surprising the three women.
"For what y'all do to us every day and never complain, I really appreciate y'all," Watson said to the women in the video. "I wanted to give my first game check to y'all, to help y'all out in some type of way."
As tears streamed down the faces of the cafeteria workers, they were visibly overwhelmed and thankful for Watson's gift.
According to ESPN, Watson is making a base salary of $465,000 this season, which means his first game check was worth $27,353. Presumably split three ways, each woman was gifted about $9,117.
Watson seems to have a giving heart, likely sparked by his family receiving a house built by Habitat for Humanity back in 2006, a gift that was part of former NFL player Warrick Dunn's foundation. Watson even paid it forward, helping build a home with Habitat for Humanity last year, and saying:
"Thanks everyone for this opportunity for us to be able to come out here and help a family out, just like myself and my story with me and my mom. Having an opportunity to move out of the government homes and into a Habitat house, to be able to start a foundation for our family, being able to achieve my dreams and goals in my life.”
It's nice to hear of athletes who make a difference in people's lives, and this probably won't be the last time we hear about Watson's good deeds. It's one thing to donate even a portion of your pay check, but it's another to donate the whole thing. Those cafeteria workers lives will forever be changed, and thanks to Watson, the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey won't keep these families down for too much longer.
