Name Steve Watson Education Temple University Pro Bowls 1981 Weight 84 kg | 1979–1987 Denver Broncos Height 1.93 m College Temple University Role American football player Positions Wide receiver | |
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Date of birth (1957-05-28) May 28, 1957 (age 58) Awards Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame | ||
Place of birth Baltimore, Maryland | ||
Steve Ross Watson (born May 28, 1957) is a former American football wide receiver and current wide receivers coach.
After high school at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington, Delaware, Watson attended Temple University and entered the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 1979.
Watson played his entire nine year NFL career in Denver, appearing in 125 games. After recording only six receptions in each of his first two seasons, in 1981 Watson had 60 receptions for a career-best 1,244 yards and league-leading 13 TDs (including a 95 yard reception in game 6, the longest in the NFL that season and 3rd longest in franchise history). His 20.73 yards per catch remains a Broncos franchise record, and earned him a spot in the 1981 Pro Bowl. Watson had 555 receiving yards the 9 game strike shortened season in 1982, hauled in 59 receptions for 1,133 yards in 1983 and a career-best 69 receptions for 1,170 in 1984. The 13-3 Broncos lost to Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs, but Watson had 11 receptions for a franchise record 177 yards. Watson started 31 of 32 games over the next two years, but saw his production fall to 915 yards, then 699. After starting just one game in the 1987 season, Watson retired with career totals of 353 receptions for 6,112 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Post NFL Career
In 1993, Watson was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. In 2000, he rejoined the Broncos as a defensive assistant. Since 2003 he has been a wide receivers coach. In 2010, he was hired by the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team to be their wide receivers coach.