Former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Jonathan Feliciano didn’t hold back while reacting to a video of Tampa Bay Buccaneers young player Desmond Watson sitting on the sideline during practice. The remarks of a former NFL veteran, who had ten years in the league, provoked much thought about accountability and opportunity within professional football.
Sport and culture reporter Dov Kleiman labeled the video of Watson watching practice, “heartbreaking.” Kleiman emphasized that Watson looked like he wanted to join his teammates but was physically unable to.
It’s not heartbreaking at all. Fucking lose the weight. As a UDFA He’s lucky they’re keeping him around. https://t.co/ZIlwFKQppK
— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) July 31, 2025
Feliciano took to social media X with his trademark bluntness.
“It’s not heartbreaking at all,” the former University of Miami standout wrote. “F***ing lose the weight. As a UDFA He’s lucky they’re keeping him around.”
Watson is 6’6″ and weighs 450 pounds in a nose tackle role and was an undrafted free agent in 2023. He is not allowed to partake in team activities, yet the Buccaneers have him on the non-football injury list while they work with him on conditioning and managing his weight.
Watson is referred to as “Big Dez”, keeping in mind his physical presence. As he gained a lot of weight in recent times, teams opted not to draft him in the 2025 NFL draft despite his individual size qualifying him as more of an undrafted free agent when signing to Tampa Bay.
Jonathan Feliciano’s NFL Experience Shapes Harsh Criticism of Desmond Watson
Feliciano’s response comes from a lot of professional experience throughout the multiple franchises he has played for. Over the past ten years, the 32-year-old guard has made just under $25 million as per Spotrac, playing for a number of teams before getting to San Francisco.
Feliciano was drafted 128th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft and understands the commitment that comes with just being in the NFL. The deals he has signed in recent seasons generally range from $2-4 million, and that is probably a decent reflection of the dollars he can add to the team while being able to count on him as a dependable offensive lineman.
This is the part of the veteran committee, an experience that reflects on the challenges of being a professional football player, and the nature of professional football as a competition, especially for players without a dotted pedigree. Acquiring undrafted free agents comes with a bit of a disadvantage, as the hurdles are even higher than for drafted players, where every chance counts.
Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles has been supportive of Watson in his development process. As he mentioned, there is a process to getting Watson up to speed. The coach has identified the organization’s support in getting the rookie to acceptable fitness standards to participate in team activities.
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