Texans QB Watson visits Israel, settlement archaeological site

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is in Israel, where he says he wants to learn about the country.

“This is a part of the world which gets a lot of attention internationally, and
this is a chance for me to look beyond the headlines and learn more about the history and culture of this land,” Watson says in a pres release sent out by Israel advocacy organization America’s Voices in Israel.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson throws a ball during an NFL workout Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the team practice facilities in Houston. (AP/Michael Wyke)

Watson’s visit includes a trip to Shiloh, an archaeological site deep in the West Bank adjacent to an Israeli settlement of the same name.

Archaeological excavations at biblical Shiloh, May 22, 2017. (Amanda Borschel-Dan/Times of Israel)

The Pro-Bowler is considered one of the NFL’s premier up-and-coming quarterbacks.

Also visiting Israel this week is New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is receiving the $1 million Genesis Prize, touted as the Jewish Nobel.

In 2017, several NFL players pulled out of a tour of Israel after they said they were misled about the opportunity, which was used by the Israeli government for public advocacy and garnered protests from Palestinians.

A similar tour last year was kept under wraps ahead of time, as was Watson’s.

Watson has spent the off-season trotting across the globe, visiting Egypt and Venice, according to the Houston Chronicle.