Former New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson, who signed a 3-year contract with the Cleveland Browns in March, has sold his Quincy home – taking a $341,000 haircut in the process.
Watson purchased the home at 7 Preston Square in 2005 for $1,389,000, according to data obtained from The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. He sold the home on May 17 to Thomas J. Adams for $1,048,000, according to The Warren Group.
The home was reportedly on the market for 209 days, meaning Watson planned to sell long before inking his three-year, $12 million free-agent contract with the Browns on March 12. The 4,111-square-foot, five-bedroom, three-bath detached condo was originally listed for $1,249,000. The listing price was later dropped to $1,199,000.
According to listing information, the home features a "grand marble foyer;" a pillared dining room with nine-foot ceilings; a custom kitchen, complete with adjacent step-down family room and fireplace; an "enormous," 551-square-foot master bedroom with cathedral ceilings and three closets; and a new second-floor exercise room addition with hardwood floors and surround sound.
Watson purchased the home in 2005 with help from a $1,111,200 mortgage from Bank of America, according to The Warren Group. The property was assessed for fiscal 2010 at $997,100.
A Virginia native, Watson played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the New England Patriots with the 32nd overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. After sitting out most of his rookie year with injuries, Watson broke out in the 2005 AFC playoffs, scoring a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a third-down play that nearly forced the Patriots to punt. Watson broke free of one tackle to earn the first down, and kept going to eventually break three tackles and outrun five defenders on the way to a 63-yard touchdown.
Perhaps the most memorable play of his Patriots career came in the next round against the Denver Broncos, after all-pro Denver cornerback Champ Bailey intercepted a Tom Brady pass. At the time of the interception, Watson was on the opposite side of the field from Bailey (on the far sideline), and had to take a diagonal pursuit the full length of the field in order to have a chance of catching him. Watson caught up with Bailey at New England’s 2-yard line and tackled him hard, causing Bailey to fumble the ball.
Watson’s deal with the Cleveland Browns reunites him with former Patriots assistant coach Eric Mangini, who took over as Browns head coach at the beginning of 2009 after a rocky, three-season stint as head coach of the New York Jets.
