The Cleveland Browns have named Deshaun Watson the starter for the team's season opener at the Jaguars, beating out Shedeur Sanders for the starting role, per CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. It will be Watson's first game since Oct. 10, 2024, when he tore his Achilles. He re-tore his Achilles in early January 2025, causing him to miss all of last year.
The decision comes just two days after Watson took several shots at Browns fans following his poor performance in preseason Week 2 against the Bills. Watson was just 5 of 12 passing for 35 yards and an interception, playing with (and against) backups in the third and fourth quarters while boos rained down. "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. So, I think it's a disrespectful thing." Todd Monken insisted Sunday that the comments wouldn't impact his quarterback choice. Watson was regarded as a slight leader for much of the quarterback battle, often earning the first reps with the first team, even if the overall reps with the starters ended up somewhat evenly split.
Watson started in preseason Week 1 alongside starters, while Sanders started in preseason Week 2 with mostly backups. Even so, Monken, in his first year as a head coach, said the competition played out in "the best way I thought we could go about it." Watson, who turns 31 the day after the Browns' season opener, has been a monumental disappointment in Cleveland, and his acquisition has been regarded as one of the worst in major professional sports history. In 2022, the Browns traded 2022, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks to the Houston Texans for Watson and a sixth-round pick.
The Browns then gave Watson an unprecedented, fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. At the time, Watson faced 22 civil lawsuits related to allegations of sexual misconduct at massage therapy sessions. The number eventually grew to 27.
All 27 have been resolved, with at least 24 ending in confidential settlements. The last two were dismissed -- at least one with a settlement -- earlier this year. The Texans also previously reached confidential settlements with 30 women over claims regarding Watson.
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