Deshaun Watson just wrapped up his preseason with way more negative reactions from the fans than positive, man. It was a rough outing for the veteran quarterback in the Cleveland Browns’ game against the Buffalo Bills, and let’s just say the fans were NOT thrilled with what they saw on the field. Watson finished his day going a meager 5-for-12 for only 36 passing yards, and yeah, he threw an interception. As he walked off the field, the boos started raining down.
“More Personal” Than Performance: Watson’s Raw Reaction
After the loss, Watson didn’t shy away from talking about the post-game reaction and how he felt about it all. And what he said, it hits different. “Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles and that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt,” Watson stated, pointing out the deeply personal nature of the crowd’s response. “So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer.” He’s not wrong, that’s a tough pill to swallow. Watson suffered a torn Achilles in October 2024, which benched him for that entire season and put Jameis Winston at the helm. Then, disaster struck again in 2025 when he re-tore his Achilles, ending his season and handing the keys to Joe Flacco.
A New Coach, Old Wounds, and a Teammate’s Defense
The Browns’ quarterback room has been a whirlwind, man. After Flacco got traded to the Bengals to fill in for Joe Burrow, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel were duking it out for the starting gig. Sanders, though, has really cemented his spot as the top contender from the end of last season right through this preseason. Sanders also spoke up about the negative vibe directed at Watson, and you gotta respect that. “I don’t appreciate that at all,” Sanders said about the boos aimed at Watson. “Just regardless of competition with all human beings… However y’all feel about Deshaun and everything, I think it’s more about [a] bigger purpose than just respect. It’s a respect I feel should be there.” That’s a strong statement from a teammate, showing there’s some serious drama simmering with this team. The Browns are heading into the 2026 season trying to turn things around after a 5-12 record last year, and they’ve got a brand-new coach in Todd Monken, who took over after Kelvin Stefanski headed to the Falcons. Monken, previously the Ravens offensive coordinator, has his work cut out for him.
Watson, for his part, emphasized how he handles all the negativity, acknowledging there’s only so much he can control. “So that’s why I say it’s more personal. So you, it is what it is,” he said. “… There’s only so much you can do to change that. At the end of the day, I just have to continue to work on that and strive to be better mentally moving forward.” This team opens their 2026 season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, September 13th. With a new coach, a turbulent quarterback situation, and a deeply emotional history with the fanbase, the mental game for Watson and this team is going to be HUGE right out of the gate. Can they block out the noise and start fresh? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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