The Cleveland Browns were facing a potentially long week of discussion and speculation about who their starting quarterback should be for their game against the Houston Texans this coming Sunday. But they reportedly have acted quickly to end that talk.
With Deshaun Watson inactive after coming out of concussion protocol, Shedeur Sander started against the New Orleans Saints and had a good second half in what became a 23-22 overtime loss. Yet, that will not be enough to get him another start, at least not yet.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Browns will announce that Watson will start against the Houston Texans in Week 10.
“The Browns plan to start Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs. the Texans, per source. Shedeur Sanders filled in Sunday in New Orleans, but returning to Watson was the expected move once he cleared concussion protocol,” Fowler posted.
The Browns plan to start Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs the Texans, per source.
Shedeur Sanders filled in Sunday in New Orleans, but returning to Watson was the expected move once he cleared concussion protocol.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 9, 2026
In his eight starts this season, Watson led five game-winning fourth-quarter scoring drives after struggling in the first half of most of those contests. Sanders authored a very similar performance against the Saints, failing only to pull out the win when his final two-point conversion attempt was incomplete.
Sanders managed just 38 yards in the first half, and 110 through three quarters, but responded to finish with 297 yards on 19-of-31 passing. He connected with KC Concepcion and Harold Fannin Jr. on highlight-reel TD passes and put the Browns into position for a game-tying field goal with a long pass to Jerry Jeudy.
Watson experienced concussion symptoms coming out of the 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers the Sunday before, and even though he was cleared to play, the Browns went with Sanders, with Dillon Gabriel as his backup, instead. The decision to go back to Watson without any hesitation was likely made much easier by the fact that the Browns lost and Sanders did not play well until later in the game.
In addition, after all that Watson has gone through, it would have been difficult to bypass him for this game against his former team, no matter how well Sanders may have played. Watson was traded away by the Texans in the aftermath of sexual assault allegations against him, and he had failed to produce with Cleveland until this season.
While outsiders will undoubtedly debate this decision, the Browns can move forward without any question about who their starting quarterback will be.
NEXT: Former Player Praises Shedeur Sanders’ First Start
