Game balls are one of football’s oldest traditions. They rarely make headlines, but they carry weight inside a locker room because they come straight from the head coach and show who he believes decided the outcome. A finish as tense as Thursday night’s was always going to produce a long list. Todd Monken spread the honors across all 3 phases after the 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi shared the details.
“Todd Monken said Deshaun Watson, Mike Hall, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, Corey Bojorquez and Andre Szmyt all received game balls for the Browns’ prime-time win,” Oyefusi wrote.
Todd Monken said Deshaun Watson, Mike Hall, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, Corey Bojorquez and Andre Szmyt all received game balls for the Browns’ prime-time win.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 2, 2026
Watson was the obvious choice. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and after the Steelers tied the game late, he went 4 of 5 for 46 yards to set up the winning kick. It was the 3rd straight week he has led a go-ahead drive in the 4th quarter.
He was sharp early, completing 14 of 17 passes for 181 yards in the 1st half, his best opening half since arriving in Cleveland. The 2nd half was rougher, as he lost a fumble and threw an interception. Monken still trusted him with the ball in the final 2 minutes, and that trust keeps paying off.
Szmyt’s honor needs little explanation. His 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left was the longest of his career, and it extended his streak to 22 consecutive makes. He also connected from 44 yards with 6:37 remaining to give Cleveland a 24-16 cushion.
The secondary was a strong spot for the defense. Ward picked off Aaron Rodgers earlier in the game, and Delpit sealed it by intercepting Rodgers’ final heave at the Cleveland 18 with 1 second left.
Mike Hall Jr. might be the most meaningful name on the list. He moved into a bigger role when Mason Graham went down with a knee injury on Pittsburgh’s opening series, then was hurt himself late in the 2nd quarter when Jared Verse was shoved into him. Hall was carted to the locker room with an ankle injury, but he returned in the 3rd quarter.
That return mattered. Cleveland had only 3 defensive tackles active, and without Hall, Maliek Collins and Adin Huntington would have carried the interior alone.
Bojorquez rounds out the group. Punters rarely get noticed unless something goes wrong, so his inclusion shows how much Monken valued the battle for field position in a game decided by 3 points.
Cleveland did not need a single star performance to beat a division rival, and that depth will be tested if Graham misses time. The Browns have 10 days to get answers before visiting the New York Jets on October 11.
NEXT: Everyone Was Saying The Same Thing About Deshaun Watson After Thursday's Win
