CLEVELAND (AP) 鈥� Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson fired back at his detractors, calling the booing he heard from some Cleveland fans during Saturday’s 鈥渄isrespectful鈥� and “personal.”
Watson, who with Cleveland fans because of injuries, off-field issues 鈥� including an NFL suspension in 2022 鈥� and a massive, $230 million contract, was booed repeatedly during the second half of a 31-7 loss to the Bills.
Watson was just 5 of 12 passing for 36 yards and threw an interception. He came off the bench because the Browns started Shedeur Sanders, who is competing with Watson for the starting job. Coach Todd Monken has yet to decide which QB will start the season opener in Jacksonville on Sept. 13.
Watson didn’t appreciate the reaction from the sparse crowd at Huntington Bank Field. It was his first home game since on Oct. 20, 2024, when fans cheered him sustaining a potential career-ending injury.
鈥淚t has nothing to do about the performance,鈥� Watson said of the boos. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit personal. I think that鈥檚 a disrespectful thing. I鈥檓 going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. Just move on.鈥�
Watson has started just 19 games since the Browns acquired him in a blockbuster trade from Houston four years ago and signed him to a fully guaranteed contract. They traded three first-round draft picks for the three-time Pro Bowl pick, who came to Cleveland embroiled in controversy.
He served an 11-game league suspension in his first season after two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions. He also paid a $5 million fine and completed a treatment program.
Watson struggled with rustiness upon his return and was just beginning to play like a Pro Bowl QB again when he suffered a season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023 and had surgery. This season, he鈥檚 coming back from twice rupturing his Achilles tendon.
When Watson first injured his Achilles tendon in 2024 in a home game against Cincinnati, some fans cheered. He hasn’t forgotten.
鈥淟ast time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles and that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt,鈥� Watson said. 鈥淪o what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city and they cheer.鈥�
Watson said he’s not sure if he can win back any fans. He’s frustrated that the only time he feels animosity from Cleveland fans is when he’s on the field.
鈥淲hen I鈥檓 in public, no one鈥檚 mentioned anything,” he said. “Because this is social media, players can鈥檛 respond back. And then in the stadium, players can鈥檛 respond back. So I get it. I understand it. So it is what it is.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a mental battle every day. I feel like I get more love in road games than I do home games. So if it is my spot and he (Monken) does make me the (starter), maybe it鈥檚 17 away games then.鈥�
Although he’s competing with Watson, Sanders said the booing directed at one of his teammates was bothersome.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 appreciate that at all,鈥� Sanders said. “Regardless of competition, we鈥檙e all human beings. I think we all need to understand that. In this room, too, we鈥檙e all humans. I don鈥檛 do things to humans that I wouldn鈥檛 want done to me.
鈥淔or all the fans, we appreciate you showing up, and however you feel about the situation with Deshaun and everything, I think it鈥檚 more about a bigger purpose and it鈥檚 respect. It鈥檚 a respect thing that I feel should be there, because we鈥檙e all out there trying to do our best and serve the franchise the best way possible.鈥�
As he nears a decision on his starting QB, Monken may now have to factor in whether Watson is mentally strong enough to handle the challenge.
Before Watson spoke, Monken said he believed Watson could win back fans with his play.
“I know you asked (Watson) 鈥楬ey, how does it feel to get booed?鈥� It鈥檚 a pretty easy question 鈥� it sucks,鈥� Monken said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to get booed. It comes with the territory. You don鈥檛 want to get booed? Let鈥檚 play good football. Let鈥檚 play good at quarterback. Let鈥檚 play good on offense. Let鈥檚 play good as a team. And then you don鈥檛 have to worry about all that because it can turn just like that.
鈥淲in, play good football, and everybody will be fine. That鈥檚 just part of it.”
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