Fans haven't been shy about their displeasure surrounding the decision to make Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback for the Browns opener Sept. 13 in Jacksonville.
Watson has started just 19 regular-season games for Cleveland since signing a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022. His Browns tenure has been derailed by an 11-game suspension following sexual misconduct allegations, a season-ending shoulder injury and two Achilles injuries.
After young quarterback Shedeur Sanders had a solid first half in last Saturday’s 31-7 loss to Buffalo, fans booed when Watson took the field. After the game, Watson called the fan response “personal” and said fans showed “disrespect” after he took the field in Cleveland for the first time in 22 months.
Ideastream’s sports commentator Terry Pluto said Watson’s comments didn’t help.
“If he had remained quiet and just said, ‘Yeah, fans were frustrated. I'm frustrated. We all got to get better,’ because the job was his of being handed to him,” Pluto said.
Pluto said fans had a right to boo.
“If you're a fan, especially if you're a season ticket holder, and you're paying thousands of dollars to come to the game, and this guy's bothered because he got booed in a pre-season game, I mean, come on,” Pluto said.
When Watson suffered an Achilles injury in 2024, many thought that would be the last time he would appear in a game in a Browns uniform.
“He wanted to play again," Pluto said. "I will give him credit for that. And when you look at him physically, you could tell he's still in good shape."
Watson remains under contract this season and cutting him would result in a significant hit to the salary cap. Pluto said new head coach Todd Monken decided to give him a shot.
“I think part of it is Todd Monken, who is in his first year as the head coach, has not lived in Deshaun Watson land," Pluto said. "He doesn't feel the same Watson exhaustion that many of the fans feel, just for all the ups and downs."
Pluto said Monken did have a message for Watson.
“He said, 'I understand Deshaun feeling frustration,' but he said ... 'how do you not get booed? You play better, you win more,'” Pluto said.
The first two games of the season are on the road against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. Pluto said those games will tell a lot.
“If they go 0-2, but you know, they score some points and they look pretty decent in offense, they’ll stick with him for a while." Pluto said. "If it's a disaster, there'll be a lot of pressure for (Monken) to change (quarterbacks).”
Pluto said many fans calling on Shedeur Sanders to start may have a point.
“I've seen enough of him as a young ascending player that I'd rather see more of him than more of Deshaun Watson," Pluto said. That was another reason, by the way, fans the other day, they were booing so quickly in that preseason game. They think Shedeur should be the starting quarterback and there's a real good case to be made for that.”
