Very clearly, at several junctures, parties interested in facilitating a Deshaun Watson trade have tried to make it happen. There was the push before the draft, one at the start of training camp, again at the beginning of the season and, now, finally, in the days leading up to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

To this point, every effort on the part of Watson’s camp, and on the part of the Texans, to get the embattled 26-year-old quarterback moved has failed.

Why? Well, for all the reports of teams’ calling and deals’ looming that have fizzled into a big puddle of nothing, there are really three people on the ground for this one, two with different motivations than the third. One is Watson himself. Another is Texans owner Cal McNair. Those two, estranged since McNair failed to follow through on a promise to involve Watson throughout the team’s coach/GM search, are on the same page—both want a separation.