Every quarterback wants to feel the full support of the person calling the shots. Confidence at that position can rise and fall with each throw, and a head coach who refuses to waver can make all the difference over a long season. That kind of backing has not always been there for Deshaun Watson in Cleveland. It is now, and he made sure everyone knew how much it means to him after Thursday night’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“He believes in all of us. Coach Monken’s awesome…I love playing for him,” Watson said.
“He believes in all of us. Coach Monken’s awesome…I love playing for him.”#Browns QB Deshaun Watson on Todd Monken’s belief in him pic.twitter.com/wDd5cgeLEs
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 2, 2026
Those words carry more weight considering how this season started.
Todd Monken named Watson the starter over Shedeur Sanders even though a large portion of the fan base wanted the younger quarterback. Watson had been booed during the preseason, and he was coming off a 2025 season he missed entirely after multiple Achilles surgeries.
Then came the opener in Jacksonville. The Browns were blown out 34-10, the criticism grew louder, and some wondered whether the trip to Tampa Bay could be Watson’s last start.
Monken did not flinch, and the results have followed. Cleveland has won 3 straight games, each one secured by a go-ahead drive from Watson in the 4th quarter. It is the first time he has won 3 in a row since arriving in Cleveland, and he now has 6 touchdown passes against 2 interceptions through 4 games.
Thursday tested that trust again. Watson was sharp in the 1st half before losing a fumble and throwing an interception after halftime. When the Steelers tied the game with 1:42 left, Monken put the ball back in his hands anyway, and Watson moved the offense into range for Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal.
Backing a quarterback is easy when everything is going well. It means more after mistakes, against a division rival, in front of a national audience in Monken’s first primetime game as a head coach.
Monken has leaned heavily on a young roster, with rookies like Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, Spencer Fano and Austin Barber playing key roles. Several of those players got their first taste of primetime football on Thursday, and they delivered.
The relationship could shape more than this season. Watson is in the final year of his contract, and few expected him to be part of the long-term plan when the year began. If he keeps playing this way for a coach he clearly trusts, the Browns may face a much harder decision than anyone anticipated.
NEXT: Browns Get Worrisome Injury Update On Mason Graham
