Deshaun Watson is heading into Sunday’s home opener asking for something Browns fans haven’t exactly been eager to give him: support.
That tension has been hanging over Huntington Bank Field for a while, and Watson didn’t do much on Wednesday to make it sound any lighter. When asked whether the crowd might rally around him after Cleveland’s road win in Tampa Bay, he answered, "I don’t know."
That set the tone for a media session that made it clear the emotional baggage is still very much there. Watson said having Todd Monken behind him means a lot, calling it valuable to hear encouragement from the man leading the team and the organization.
"I mean, it’s always good for someone to be able to support me, to support anybody as a human, you know? Hearing positive things, it builds confidence.
It builds courage. It builds that team chemistry.
It just makes a person feel good. So, when you get that from the head man and the guy that’s leading this organization, this team, it means a lot."
He also tried to steer the conversation away from any lingering hostility with the fan base. When asked if he had anything to say to supporters before Sunday, Watson said, "The biggest thing, like, I never try to go at war with the fans.
The biggest thing is I’m just ready for support, ready to feel their energy, ready to get this big ‘W’ for the City of Cleveland and continue this great feeling that we have this week. So that’s my motto, is just keep pushing forward and finding ways to win on Sunday to take advantage of the opposing team and get a ‘W'."
On the question of negative energy inside the stadium, Watson again pushed the conversation toward the present and away from what’s already happened. "Like I mentioned before, we’re past that.
That’s back in the day. I don’t want to backtrack on anything.
We’re moving forward. It’s great energy now.
It’s great energy this week within the locker room, within the city. So let’s continue to build on that.
So that’s in the past. Let’s push forward.
We’re present on the moment now. We’re focusing on Carolina, coming home against a good opponent in front of our great fans, and we want that energy so we can go in there and get a ‘W'."
He also said his preparation hasn’t changed. "No, it’s the same mental prep."
The backdrop here matters. The last time Watson played at Huntington Bank Field, he was booed in the third quarter of the Browns’ second preseason game, and the noise only grew after he struggled early, saw his first two drives end with minus-1 yard and two quick punts, then threw an ugly interception over the middle on his third drive. That was the same field where he had been carted off after tearing his Achilles in 2024.
Before that preseason game against the Bills, Watson had already said he felt more love from opposing fans on the road and wasn’t sure he could handle the negativity in Cleveland entering the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract signed in 2022.
Even after the comeback win over Tampa Bay, the dynamic hasn’t really changed. Browns fans were over the Watson experience long before the 2026 league year began, and one victory in mid-September hasn’t moved the needle much. The frustration around him has never been only about him, either; plenty of it has been aimed at ownership, too.
Sunday now looms as a potentially ugly scene. Cleveland has not converted a single third down in the first half this season, and if the offense starts slowly again, the noise inside the building could turn fast. Watson said he doesn’t want to go to war with the fans, but that’s exactly the kind of atmosphere this could become if the Browns are stuck fighting their own crowd early.
For Watson, this is about more than just one home game. How he handles the reaction at Huntington Bank Field may say plenty about where things go from here.
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Browns Could Turn Zak Zinters Roster Squeeze Into Something Useful
Zak Zinters place on the Browns roster is getting a little tighter by the week, and not necessarily because he has done anything wrong. Hes currently positioned as the backup left guard, but Clevelands recent draft additions and overall depth along the offensive line have turned what once looked like a useful developmental spot into a legitimate roster squeeze. For a team that likes to keep its trenches stocked, that kind of surplus can quickly become a tradeable asset.
The Browns could look at the situation as an opportunity rather than a problem, especially with the NFLs early-November deadline approaching. New England has a need at right guard because of injuries, and Zinters prior connection with coach Mike Vrabel gives that possible match a little extra intrigue. If Cleveland decides to move him, the return would be less about immediate help and more about adding draft capital while the depth chart still has some value to others. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Face A Shedeur Sanders Decision Fans Wont Ignore
The Browns quarterback picture has already become one of the most closely watched parts of the roster, and Tony Rizzo of ESPN Cleveland added another layer to it by suggesting Shedeur Sanders could be on the move before the NFL trade deadline. Cleveland entered the season with a crowded room, and the current depth chart still lists Sanders as Deshaun Watsons backup, a spot that naturally draws attention when a team is trying to sort out both the present and the future at quarterback.
Rizzos read is that Watson will handle most of the starts this season, with Dillon Gabriel sliding back into the primary backup role once he returns from injured reserve and Taylen Green filling the third spot. In that setup, Sanders becomes the name to watch, because any real trade discussion would hinge on how Watson performs and how much confidence the Browns have in the depth behind him. For a team already trying to manage competing timelines at the position, it is the kind of decision that could come into focus fast. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Just Put Browns Coaches On Notice In Key Situations
Deshaun Watsons second-half turnaround against Tampa Bay did more than help the Browns get their first win of the season, it also sharpened the conversation around how Cleveland wants to handle key downs moving forward. After a first half in which the offense stalled and failed to move the chains on third-and-long, Watson said he went to head coach Todd Monken at halftime and asked for the ball to be put in his hands.
The response was immediate. Watson finished 17-of-21 for 183 yards and two touchdowns after the break, and the Browns were much more efficient once the third-down distances got shorter. For a team still searching for consistency, the bigger question now is whether that late spark changes how the staff approaches those pressure moments the next time the game is on the line. [Read more 🡒]