Todd Monken sends message to angry Browns fans about Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders decision

As noted by Ashley Bastock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, handfuls of Cleveland Browns fans spent the final days of August taking to social media and to the statue outside the Browns' stadium that honors Hall of Famer Jim Brown to protest first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken naming Deshaun Watson the team's Week 1 starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders. 

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Monken sent a fresh message to those supporters. 

Todd Monken: Browns fans will never impact his personnel decisions

Per Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan, Monken addressed whether he's bothered by how some of the team's fans have reacted to the club's depth chart. 

"Absolutely not," Monken said directly. "Would I prefer...that we all be on the same page? Yeah, but that has nothing to do with my decision. Can't ever have anything to do with my decisions." 

Some Cleveland fans rejected Watson as soon as the Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and then gave him a five-year contract reportedly worth $230M in fully guaranteed money due to the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions that hovered over his status at that time. Others turned on him due to his poor play and the fact that injuries have limited him to just 19 regular-season starts ever since he served an 11-game suspension in 2022. 

The latest saga of Watson's relationship with Browns fans involved the 30-year-old ripping those who booed him during a home preseason game on Aug. 22. Two days after he made what became rather controversial comments, he was announced as the team's Week 1 starter. 

Todd Monken vows to do what's "best for the Browns," regardless of fan reactions

"My decision's gotta be what's the best for the Browns, Week 1 and all the way through the season and as long as I'm head coach here," Monken added on Tuesday. 

Some noteworthy members of the NFL community are convinced that the best thing for the Browns will be for Monken to bench Watson in favor of Sanders ahead of Cleveland's home opener, a Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 27. Monken may not want to have a quick hook regarding his chosen QB1, but Watson's injury history suggests Sanders could be called into action sooner than planned.