Browns Name Watson Starting QB Despite Fan Backlash and Controversial Comments

The Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback for the regular season opener, ending an offseason-long competition with Shedeur Sanders that extended through two preseason games. Head coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry announced the decision to the team’s roster Monday morning, setting the stage for another chapter in Watson’s troubled tenure in Cleveland.

Watson’s selection comes after a controversial preseason performance Saturday in which he was heavily booed by Browns fans at Huntington Bank Field. During a subsequent press conference, Watson called the crowd’s reaction “personal” and “disrespectful,” and stated he would be playing “17 away games” if given the starting job, remarks that raised immediate questions about his future with the franchise.

The Browns organization disregarded both Watson’s comments and the fan reception when making their decision, according to a source familiar with the team’s thinking. Brown officials cited Watson’s superior experience and incremental edge over Sanders throughout the competition as the determining factors, despite Sanders posting a higher completion percentage during the preseason.

Watson’s tenure in Cleveland has been marked by significant disappointment since arriving in a trade that cost the franchise six draft picks, including three first-rounders, plus a $230 million contract. He has produced 19 touchdown passes across 19 games with the team, well below organizational expectations.

The starting role comes without guaranteed job security. The Browns retain the flexibility to pivot to Sanders if Watson’s performance deteriorates, signaling the team views the assignment as a trial opportunity rather than a commitment. Watson’s first regular-season test arrives Sept. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road.