Newly retired NFL tight end Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten welcomed their twins into the world Wednesday.
The proud father of seven celebrated the happy arrival with an Instagram post featuring side-by-side photos of April 24, 2004 and April 24, 2019.
In the photo on the left, Watson had just celebrated his first-round selection by the New England Patriots in the 2004 NFL Draft. In the photo on the right, Watson is cradling his newborn children.
Back in November, Watson announced his wife’s pregnancy with a memorable touchdown celebration during the Saints’ game against the Los Angeles Rams.
After Watson scored a touchdown, he gave what might be the most stand-out end zone celebration since the NFL lifted its ban on the practice. The then-father of five tucked the football under his jersey and held up seven fingers. All that was left was for fans to do the math.
Watson, now retired, expressed his thoughts about leaving the sport he loves to focus more intently on faith and family in a recent piece for The Increase.
“Ending is never easy in any capacity,” the tight end wrote. “Every athlete understands that.”
“Now that I’m out of the game,” he continued, “I want my teammates to remember that not only do I play hard physically and mentally within the game, but I try to contribute to my team and support those around me.”
Watson pointed out that he hopes his teammates saw him for more than just the way he played on the field.
“When things don’t go my way, I want them to know that I’ll still be a good teammate, with a good attitude. And when things do go my way, I want to be known to be gracious with the successes achieved,” he wrote.
He added that he wanted his teammates to feel that he also “challenged them spiritually, helping them draw closer to the Lord.”
Though it’s uncertain what Watson’s next move will be, the dedicated father and Christian made it clear that he will be seeking God’s direction.
Congratulations to the Watsons on the birth of their beautiful twins!