When the 2026 NFL season began, there was a good chance that Deshaun Watson wouldn’t get to play three games for the Cleveland Browns. Instead, he has already led them to three victories, with no end to his tenure in sight.
The success of Watson and the Browns is one of the biggest stories in the league so far. It got a whole lot bigger thanks to their 27-24 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
Watson led the Browns to a tie-breaking field goal, which was a career-high 56-yarder from Andre Szmyt. In the previous two games, he threw fourth-quarter touchdown passes to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.
With his latest performance, Watson just did something no Browns QB has done in decades, putting up three straight game-winning drives for the first time in 47 years.
“Last night Deshaun Watson became the first Browns quarterback since 1979 with three consecutive game-winning drives. Wild,” Nick Camino posted.
Last night Deshaun Watson became the first #Browns quarterback since 1979 with three consecutive game-winning drives.
Wild.
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) October 2, 2026
In Week 2, the Browns trailed the Buccaneers 19-16 in the fourth quarter. Watson hit Blake Whiteheart with a 17-yard TD pass to give Cleveland the lead with 3:51 remaining, and its defense made a red-zone stand for the 23-19 victory.
In Week 3, Cleveland trailed Carolina 18-13 before Watson connected with Harold Fannin Jr. on a 14-yard TD pass with 1:48 left. A two-point conversion pass gave the Browns a 21-18 lead that the defense sealed with a stop on downs and an interception.
Then, on Thursday, after a 21-7 lead turned into a 24-24 tie, Watson completed 4-of-5 passes to set up Szmyt for his long field goal attempt, which he made with 10 seconds to go. The defense then added an interception before a kneel-down celebration that secured a 3-1 record.
Back in 1979, the Browns opened the season 3-0 with three straight comeback wins led by quarterback Brian Sipe. Cleveland defeated the New York Jets 25-22, the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24, and the Baltimore Colts 20-17, starting the era of the “Kardiac Kids.”
That team went on to finish 9-7 but missed the playoffs, so hopefully this year ends up with a postseason berth instead.
NEXT: Browns Get Major Injury Update On Mason Graham
