Most Cleveland Browns fans aren’t excited about it, but head coach Todd Monken named Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars despite some shaky performances in the preseason and some deafening boos from the hometown crowd when Watson took the field in the preseason. It’s not an ideal situation, and some believe the decision was ultimately made by ownership and the front office, but the deed is done and it’s time to prepare for Jacksonville.
The front office strictly sees this as a decision made with the intention to win football games. Unfortunately, Watson probably does give the team its best chance to win, which is more of an indictment on the competition than anything else.
Christian Fauria echoed that sentiment recently in an episode of Initial Contact. He believes there is nobody to blame but Shedeur Sanders for Watson starting because he had an opportunity to take the job from him and was unable to do enough to win it.
“If you’re a Cleveland fan, you have nobody to blame but Shedeur Sanders for Deshaun Watson starting. If Shedeur Sanders was any good at all, he would be starting. I don’t care how much money you owe this guy, you’d rather replace him with somebody really good, but he couldn’t take the job,” said Fauria.
“You have nobody to blame but Shedeur Sanders for Deshaun Watson Starting.”
Christian Fauria on Deshaun Watson becoming QB1 over Shedeur Sanders😳 pic.twitter.com/FjOOHgDTp2
— Initial Contact (@initialcontact) September 1, 2026
Some would say Sanders did do enough to win the job, since he outperformed Watson in preseason and, by all accounts, outshined him in training camp. Watson’s interception total in camp is well into double digits, whereas Sanders has reportedly done a better job getting the ball out quickly and avoiding turnovers.
However, he absolutely could have done more. Sanders threw interceptions in both his preseason appearances, one of which was an egregious overthrow that reminded everybody exactly why he was a fifth-round pick and not a top-five pick he was projected to be a while ago.
His time will likely come since Watson hasn’t given anybody a reason to believe he can stay healthy and productive for 17 games, but some more time on the bench right now won’t hurt him.
NEXT: Browns Executive Addresses Negative Reaction To Deshaun Watson
