Ben Watson: Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog

Representing the University of Georgia has always been a huge point of pride for Benjamin Watson.

Whether it was winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, playing 16 years in the NFL, or getting ready to begin his new gig with the SEC Network, representing the Bulldogs in a positive manner has been a priority.

Now as the latest in a recent line of Georgia student-athletes—including David Pollack and Maria Taylor—to join the ranks of sports broadcasters, Watson does not plan on changing anytime soon.

“Whatever I’ve always done throughout my career, I’ve always tried to represent my guys, my family, my name. But I’ve also tried to represent my university,” Watson said in a telephone interview with UGASports. “Wherever I’ve gone it’s always been something that I’ve kept in the back of my mind. When I look at the landscape of broadcasters who have been successful, it’s always exciting to watch them and cheer for them. Now I get to join the ranks and have my fellow Bulldogs cheer for me. It’s exciting to be part of that family and join ESPN in that capacity.”

On Wednesday, the network announced that Watson will be joining the SEC Network as a studio analyst on its SEC Now and SEC Football Final programs.

His first day on the job will be Monday, for the start of SEC Media Days being held at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala., just outside of Birmingham.

This will not be Watson’s first experience with Media Days.

In 2003, Watson was one of four Bulldog player representatives, along with safety Kentrell Curry, quarterback David Greene, and Pollack.

“The time just aligned with the SEC Network,” Watson said of his new gig. “My family is settled now, we live in Atlanta, and we know this is going to be our home base. So, now it’s time to move on to the next stage of our life. I’m just excited to be working on SEC Now and SEC Football Final.”

Watson said he will lean on both his playing and other life experiences to bring what he hopes will be a unique perspective to the television screen.

“I’m a tight end, and tight ends have a unique perspective. Our perspective is different in that we’re glorified linemen, some of us, and underrated wide receivers, some of us. So, we always love being the underdog. We have to look at the whole picture, not just part of it,” Watson said. “The other part is my playing experience. The fact is, I did go on and play 16 years in the NFL, I’ve seen a lot of football, I’ve seen how things transpire.”

There’s more.

Watson said another of his goals will be to lift up the athletes he’ll be talking about on Saturdays.

“I look at these young men as future leaders of America. I look at them as future husbands and fathers. I’ll speak about them through this opportunity to encourage and inspire them to the next, whatever that is for them,” Watson said. “For many of them, we’ll be watching them play their last bit of football ever, and they’ll go on to do other things. For others, they’ll go on to play 10-15 years in the NFL. At some point, I hope they’ll go on to become statesmen and become great citizens. All that rolls into me being a father of seven, as I’ve got the perspective of multitasking as well.”

Like Georgia fans everywhere, Watson cannot wait to see what the season holds for the Bulldogs.

Although he offered no predictions, Watson believes last year’s momentum will serve Kirby Smart’s program well.

“I’m like all the whole Bulldog Nation—we want to win the whole thing,” Watson said. “The thing that I’m excited about this year is, we’re solid at the quarterback position in contrast to last year, when there were some moving pieces. In particular, the time it took figure out that JT Daniels was the guy. I’m excited about the momentum we’re going to have.”

Of course, the opener in Charlotte against Clemson is foremost on Watson’s mind.

“I remember playing Clemson the first game of the year in 2003; it was a tone-setter then, and it’s going to be a tone-setter for us,” Watson said. “Either way, my expectations are very high, as they should be for Georgia every season.”

Much of Watson’s optimism is due to Daniels.

If there’s one thing Watson knows by playing in the NFL, it’s what makes a good quarterback. In Daniels, he sees some intangibles that he believes will make the California native and the Bulldogs offense a success.

“You look at his last four games. I believe he had 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. It's his efficiency, but also making him make decisive throws. In high-level football, you have to be more decisive. One thing that quarterbacks lack a lot of times, and not be able to get to the next level, is they wait to see things,” Watson said. “Even in college, top-level programs, if you’re a quarterback and waiting to see things happen before you let it go, you’re going to get in trouble. What I Iike about him is the fact he came in and he was decisive. He came in and took command of the huddle. There was a certain presence about him—the way he was on the field. I didn’t get that from watching him, I got it from watching the other 10 guys around him.”

Watson is also a fan of tight end Darnell Washington.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Watson believes the sophomore has the ability to take over a game, making the job for opposing defensive coordinators a living hell.

“My hope for him is he just develops, not only as a receiver but as a blocker. One of the tendencies for tight ends now is solely to work on the receiving and not worry about having the hand in the dirt, or whatever,” Watson said. “But you look at the great tight ends, most of them can do some sort of blocking on the line of scrimmage. So a guy that big has to be dominant, and he can take control of the game. He can take control of the game in the run game and the passing game, and create a terrible problem for any defense in the SEC.”