Deshaun Watson hit the field for the first time in any kind of game since his devastating Achilles tear in the 2024 season, starting Saturday’s game against the Bears, and his coach, Todd Monken, had a largely positive take on the quarterback’s return. Monken outright called Watson’s performance “awesome,” a huge sentiment given the long road back.
The Numbers and The Hiccups
Watson played the entire first half, going 11-of-15 for 126 yards. The Browns put up 10 points while he was in there, which is a solid start for a guy shaking off that much rust and coming back from such a serious injury. He even ran the ball three times, including a sneak. Seriously, a sneak! After an Achilles tear? That’s gutsy. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, of course. Watson lost a fumble, the offense got hit with a delay of game, and they burned a timeout with the clock ticking down. Plus, Shedeur Sanders tossed an interception later, which Monken counted as one of two other turnovers beyond Watson’s fumble.
Monken’s Take: “A Lot To Clean Up,” But Still “So Cool”
Head coach Todd Monken didn’t shy away from the negatives, acknowledging at the press conference that “there’s a lot to clean up” including those two other turnovers. But his overall vibe was definitely positive for Watson. “It was awesome,” Monken said. “It was so cool to watch him play. I get all of the frustration, fans, himself. But for him to come back and work as he did is an unbelievable credit to him.” He noted Watson was “having fun today and that is so cool.” The biggest takeaway? Monken said, “I thought he really functioned at a high level.” He knows the team needs to cut out the mental errors , “We don’t want to be taking timeouts, we sure as heck can’t take delay of games” , but seeing Watson take that “next step forward” was clearly a big win for the team.
This return is a massive step for Watson after such a tough injury. While there are definitely things to tighten up, Monken’s confidence in his quarterback’s “high level” functioning tells you everything. It’s all about consistency from here on out as the team looks to build on this initial showing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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