Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Browns QB Deshaun Watson makes huge admission about injury

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Oct 26, 2023 12:54 PM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson admitted Thursday that he "wasn't ready" to play in Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts due to his lingering shoulder injury.

The three-time Pro Bowler suffered the injury in late September during the team's Week 3 win against the Tennessee Titans, a contest in which he had his best performance in a Cleveland uniform. Watson finished the game 27-for-33 for 289 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

He missed the Browns' last two games in Weeks 4 and 6 -- which sandwiched the team's Week 5 bye -- but started last Sunday against the Colts. Watson played just 12 snaps and went 1-for-5 for five yards with an interception before going down with the injury and seeing P.J. Walker guide the squad to a 39-38 decision.

Reporter: Did you rush it last week?

Deshaun Watson: "I don't know..."

"I just didn't have the strength, and things like that, to go out there and play a complete game."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) October 26, 2023

Watson: "Got a little taste, three or four series. At the end of the day, it wasn't right."

Watson says the shoulder was always the concern after the first hit. He says the concussion evaluation didn't come until later, hence the second trip to the blue tent.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) October 26, 2023

Cleveland officially ruled out Watson for its Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday due to what has been called a rotator cuff strain/"micro tear" in his right shoulder, which is his throwing arm.

Watson said Thursday that he's been throwing "here and there a little bit" this week and added, "You have to take steps, not jumps." He confirmed that surgery has never been suggested as an option as well.

The 28-year-old also vehemently denied rumors that he doesn't want to be playing in games.

Watson, asked to address speculation that he doesn't want to play:

"Why wouldn't I want to play? I just worked my ass off for two year to get back TO play."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) October 26, 2023

Watson has gone 66-for-107 (61.7 completion percentage) for 683 passing yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions for an 80.9 quarterback rating over four games. He's added 15 carries for 83 yards and one score on the ground.

Walker is 33-for-66 for 370 passing yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions (48.2 quarterback rating) in two games, including one start, while Dorian Thompson-Robinson has gone 19-for-36 for 121 passing yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions (25.3 quarterback rating).

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

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