The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is excited to announce that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson will help kick off the 2019 season as grand marshal of the Downtown Rodeo Parade Saturday, Feb. 23. The annual event celebrates Western heritage and marks the beginning of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo season, a tradition since 1938.
“We are truly honored to have Deshaun Watson serve as grand marshal of the 2019 Downtown Rodeo Parade,” said Joel Cowley, Rodeo president and CEO. “Since arriving in Houston, Deshaun has had a tremendous impact, both on the field and within our community, and we are thrilled to have him participate in this time-honored tradition.”
A Gainesville, Georgia, native, Watson attended Clemson University and boasted a 32-3 record as the starting quarterback. He led the Tigers to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, winning the school’s second national title in 2016. Watson then declared for the NFL draft and was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round as the 12th overall pick. He set several NFL records during his rookie season in 2017 and made his first playoff appearance with the Texans during the 2018 season.
Watson has also made headlines with his generosity in the Houston community. In 2017, he donated his first game check to three NRG Stadium workers who were affected by Hurricane Harvey. He also partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help furnish 176 homes in the Houston area that had been damaged by the storm.
The Downtown Rodeo Parade will be held Saturday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. The parade route begins at Bagby and Walker streets, travels from Travis to Bell, and from Bell to Louisiana, before turning on Lamar and ending at Lamar and Bagby streets.
Prior to the start of the parade will be the 32nd annual Rodeo Run, presented by ConocoPhillips.
Schedule
| 9:10 a.m. | wheelchair race |
| 9:20 a.m. | 10K race |
| 9:35 a.m. | 5K fun run/walk |
| 10 a.m. | Downtown Rodeo Parade |
For more information about the Downtown Rodeo Parade, please visit: rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Rodeo/Pre-Rodeo-Events/Parade.