Deshaun Watson addresses controversy after being named Browns' starter

First-year Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken upset pockets of Cleveland Browns fans on Monday when he officially named Deshaun Watson the club's Week 1 starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders.

Monken made that decision after some Cleveland fans booed Watson during the club's preseason home game versus the Buffalo Bills this past Saturday and after Watson ripped those supporters for what he referred to as "disrespectful" conduct. On Monday afternoon, Watson addressed his reaction to what took place at Huntington Bank Field over the weekend. 

Deshaun Watson: "Human nature," "emotions" got the best of him after being booed by Cleveland fans

As shared by Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Watson acknowledged that "human nature" got the best of him when he fired back at the Browns fans who booed him on multiple occasions. 

"I thought I was gonna get a little different response, but I think my emotions got the best of me," Watson explained. "My comments weren't intended to go at any of the fans around in the city, because there's been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me."

The Browns acquiring Watson from the Houston Texans and then giving him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract in March 2022 is seen as one of the worst roster-based decisions ever made by an NFL franchise. During his first season with Cleveland, he served an 11-game suspension related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. He has since made just 19 regular-season starts, and he was arguably the worst starting quarterback of the 2024 season before he suffered the first of two Achilles injuries in October of that year.

Watson hasn't played in a regular-season game since he went down with the initial Achilles injury, but he will now start Cleveland's Week 1 contest at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13. On Monday, Monken made it known he felt Watson gives the Browns "the best chance to move the ball and score points" at Jacksonville. 

Deshaun Watson seems to "understand" hearing boos in Cleveland

"I understand the frustration," Watson said about the boos he heard this past Saturday. "I understand everything that kind of goes into that. And moving forward, I just wanna focus on football, making sure that I'm putting the best product out there, having the best ability. I thrive off the energy. I thrive off the energy of the fans. I thrive off the energy of the community. I thrive off all that stuff. ...So again, my emotions got the best of me. I'm a human. I take full responsibility of that. And just moving forward, I wanna make sure that I put the best product for the team, for the organization, and for the city."

The Browns' Week 2 game will be a matchup at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 20. While Monken said on Monday that the depth chart "is not a week-to-week decision," some think that he could turn to Sanders for Cleveland's home opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 27 if the Browns end Week 2 with a record of 0-2. 

"I have another shot," Watson added about being named Cleveland's starter, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "I have another chance. So I wanna make sure I take full responsibility of this opportunity."