‘Just Cut Him,’ ‘Browns Fans Never Wanted Him’ — NFL Fans Sound Off on Concerning Developments on Deshaun Watson’s Future
· Yahoo Sports
Sometimes one interview is all it takes. Returning from a torn Achilles, it looked like Deshaun Watson would earn the starting quarterback job for the Cleveland Browns once again.
All signs pointed towards it, but a disappointing preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, followed by a disastrous interview, has soured the entire fan base on him. Now, his chances of remaining QB1 seem to be shrinking by the minute.
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Deshaun Watson Self-Sabotaged His QB1 Spot
Part of one of the most infamous trades in recent NFL history, Watson was given a blockbuster five-year extension worth $230 million. Since then, it’s quickly become one of the worst contracts in league history.
In the last four years, the former Houston Texans star has suited up in just 19 games for the Browns, recording 19 touchdowns and giving up 12 interceptions in that timeframe.
Still, without a true alternative, head coach Todd Monken looked like he was going to choose him to start the 2026 NFL season. The game against the Bills, though, might have been the ultimate turning point.
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Coming in behind Shedeur Sanders as part of their QB1 battle, he completed just 5 of his 12 passing attempts, recording 36 yards and giving up an interception. A wildly disappointing outing, it could have been chalked up to an off day.
But what came afterward may have ended any hopes he might have had of becoming the Browns’ starter. Throughout the game, he was mercilessly booed by the home crowd in Cleveland, and he tried to fire back at them.
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little bit [more] personal than that. I think that’s a disrespectful thing. I’m gonna keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally with how I feel about that and move on.”
Moreover, he even opened up about long grudges that he’d held onto, adding, “Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. That same fan base cheered when I got hurt. What does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer?”
Rather than take accountability for his diminishing numbers or the off-the-field issues and allegations against him, Watson chose to fire back against his own fan base. As a result, a roster spot, let alone the starting quarterback role, could be in jeopardy.
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Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer summed up the entire situation perfectly, writing, “I went into yesterday pretty certain that Deshaun Watson was going to be the Browns starter. Now I’m not sure he’s going to be on the team. That press conference is going to be difficult to come back from. We’ll see how the decision-makers reckon with it.”
It was the growing consensus among most people, with one fan surprised by the veteran’s conduct, who wrote, “Idk the last time I have seen someone less in touch with reality than Watson in that press conference. Just… a bad person. Hard to come back from that.”
Others, though, took issue with the franchise for letting the situation fester for so long. A fan said, “I still cannot believe that Deshaun Watson press conference. The browns cntrl alt deleted baker mayfield, who would have died for Cleveland. And refuse to move on from a guy who has been giving the middle finger to Cleveland for years. The franchise is a meme.”
Another fan shared that sentiment and, as a result, wanted some changes to the front office, particularly with their general manager: “Browns are a mess. Andrew Berry needs to go.”
One person believed this was the final straw for the Browns that would allow them to formally cut ties with the three-time Pro Bowler, claiming, “For me, I’ve felt it’s been an almost complete certainty the Browns will move on from Deshaun Watson the moment the opportunity arrives. Yesterday’s display just expedites their efforts.”
All in all, though, the attention remained on the former first-round pick. One fan broke down his psyche, claiming, “He’s completely shot mentally. He can’t handle the fact people hate him. I don’t know how you trust this dude on the field.”
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His sentiments about the fans, combined with the underwhelming production, had some fans ready to pull the plug. One fan argued, “There’s no point in keeping him on the roster, just cut him and eat the large dead cap this year. The szns about to start anyway.”
The overall sentiment of the fan base was nearly unanimous, as one fan wrote, “Browns fans never wanted him; he can hit the road.”
It seems the team has already decided who it’d like to see on the field this season. Even though he might have been more impressive during the QB1 battle, the Browns could alienate their fans if they move forward with him.
As a result, one way or another, the quarterback competition in Cleveland is inching towards an end.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.