The Cleveland Browns made their call official on Sunday, and it didn’t exactly land with the crowd they were hoping to reach.
Deshaun Watson arrived for the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the team posted, "QB1 ready for action," on social media. But for Browns fans who still want to see Shedeur Sanders take the snaps, the message sparked immediate backlash.
Watson won the starting job in training camp, beating out Sanders and giving new coach Todd Monken’s offense a veteran option over the second-year passer’s upside. That decision has clearly not softened the mood around the fan base, and the reaction online came fast.
"Disgrace. Get Shedeur up and throwing in the bullpen please," one tweeted.
"Just a hypothetical…Would Browns fans rather win a Superbowl with Watson this year and not get Arch Manning. Or lose this season get Arch and never know if you win a SuperBowl ?" another added.
"Please do not advertise him. We have been though enough already," a third commented.
A few more responses followed in the same vein.
"I've never wished more unfortunate things on someone ever," one wrote.
"Best comedy of the weekend.... I haven't laughed this hard all week than I did when the CREEP got intercepted on the very first drive. Just Awesome!," another added.
"You guys know you don't have to tweet about him right? Just show literally anyone else," a fan tweeted.
For Watson, Sunday is a return to the field after a long layoff. It’s his first game action since he tore his Achilles in October 2024, then suffered a second rupture during recovery and missed the entire 2025 season. He’s also in the final year of his contract.
Watson said he’s trying to stay present for the moment.
"I just kind of enjoy each moment because I know how fast it can be taken away," Watson said.
The Browns will also be leaning on a familiar matchup. Watson has gone 7-0 as a starter against the Jaguars, with most of those wins coming during his time with the Houston Texans.
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