Dan Patrick blasts Deshaun Watson for comments on media

Dan Patrick added his name to the list of local and national media personalities who have criticized Cleveland Browns star quarterback Deshaun Watson for comments Watson offered this past weekend. 

"He can’t be blaming the media," Patrick said during an edition of his show about Watson, as shared by Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing and Jordan Bondurant of the Barrett Sports Media website. 

"Not for the coverage, what happened, any of that. He has to just avoid these landmines. You don’t want to create a headline here. You’re a quarterback on a team that right now is polarizing, it feels like. They’re not must-see TV. If DeShaun Watson didn’t have this off the field, then he would be a must-see quarterback." 

Per Jake Trotter of ESPN, Watson generated negative attention when he explained Sunday he felt that "it's been the media directing and narrating something else" regarding his story and the suspension he served last season. The 27-year-old missed 11 games due to a ban related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions, though two grand juries ultimately declined to indict him. Watson has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his legal team has thus far settled over 20 civil lawsuits. 

Heading into Week 1, the Browns have just two primetime games on their schedule for this season. They play at the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in a "Monday Night Football" clash in Week 2 on Sept. 18 and later host the New York Jets for a "Thursday Night Football" contest in Week 17 on Dec. 28. 

Patrick, who has more than a couple of inside sources within the NFL due to his history of covering the league, suggested Cleveland's lack of primetime matchups is no accident. 

"Nobody wants to hear that Deshaun Watson, 'the media was out to get him,'" Patrick continued. "We want to see him play football. But even then, I don’t know if people are rooting for Deshaun Watson…when it comes to Deshaun Watson, you can’t play the blame game. You were a creep, you got caught." 

Watson isn't hiding that he'd like to put everything linked with the serious allegations behind him as he prepares to start Cleveland's Week 1 game versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 10. Patrick's comments provided just the latest reminder that the three-time Pro Bowl selection should carefully watch his words if he wants to avoid sparking further controversies and distractions during his Cleveland tenure.