Texan's Deshaun Watson credited Popeyes' spicy chicken sandwich for his ability to play through a nasty eye injury
- Quarterback Deshaun Watson played through a brutal eye injury to lead his Houston Texans to victory in London Sunday, and he credited the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich for his success.
- Watson sustained the blow to his eye last week when Oakland Raiders defensive end Arden Key kicked him in the face in the middle of a play.
- The spicy chicken sandwich - which incited such an unwieldy craze across the country that the fast-food brand was forced to discontinue production - made its return to stores on Sunday.
- It remains unclear whether or not Watson's endorsement of the Popeyes sandwich was part of a sponsorship deal.
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Not even a gruesome, lingering eye injury could slow down Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
And after he led his squad to a decisive 26-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London Sunday, Watson gave credit where credit was due - to the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich.
"I'll tell you the key," Watson told the NFL Network's Melissa Stark on the field after the win. "The key is, it was the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwiches that I ate this week that helped the eye. So, make sure …"
"There's a nice little plug," Stark responded, cutting him off.
Watson sustained the blow to his eye last week when Oakland Raiders defensive end Arden Key kicked him in the face in the middle of a play. He played through it, but it was evident when he took off his helmet that his eye was red and irritated.
Although it remains unclear whether or not Watson's endorsement of the Popeyes sandwich was part of a sponsorship deal, his timing certainly is not a coincidence. The spicy chicken sandwich - which incited such an unwieldy craze across the country that the fast-food brand was forced to discontinue production - made its return to stores on Sunday. The much-anticipated reintroduction was a bit of a dig at Popeyes' rival, Chick-fil-a, which is closed on Sundays.
Watson and the Texans will head back across the pond to take on the surging Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens this upcoming Sunday. And if his comments are any indication, we all know how he'll be fueling up in advance of the slugfest.
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