Before the season started, there were a lot of negative feelings about Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns. Fans thought he was washed up and had a bad attitude and was costing the team too much money.
Now, weeks later, opinions about Watson have changed. There are still many questions about him and plenty of devoted fans still aren’t wild about him, but the team’s impressive track record after six weeks has helped the goodwill toward Watson.
More importantly, it sounds like his teammates are fond of him. Speaking on 92.3 The Fan, Anthony Lima summed up how the rest of the squad views Watson.
No matter what people on the outside think, the Browns’ players like Watson and they see him as their leader.
“On the football field, you kind of need your quarterback to be confident. You kind of need your quarterback to be having fun. That’s why when I see stories of him throwing a party for his teammates, and the teammates reacting to it, and looking at him as if he’s a leader. That stuff does matter on the field. Some of you will never see him as any of that, but you gotta face the facts. His teammates do. His teammates are looking up to him. His teammates are picking his brain. His teammates are treating him as if he is our Patrick Mahomes,” Lima said.
“His teammates are looking up to him. His teammates are picking his brain.”
➡️ @SportsBoyTony w/ @KenCarman on Deshaun Watson’s change in mindset and emergence as a leader for the young #Browns.
Have you changed your stance on Deshaun Watson? đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/FWKGkKKxX8
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 22, 2026
This really says a lot. If Watson has won over his teammates, then he is in a really good position. Leading players is vital for any quarterback. If he isn’t able to do that, his job isn’t secure. But this reporting from Lima says that the rest of the Browns’ lineup likes Watson, which means fans can expect to see him on the field for the rest of the 2026 season.
It’s hard to see what changed with Watson. The end of the preseason featured Watson performing poorly and making some really ill-advised comments to the press. At that point, it looked like he wasn’t happy in Cleveland and the fans weren’t happy with him.
It felt like just a matter of time before he was sent packing. And although he has made plenty of mistakes throughout the first six weeks of the season, he is looking much better with a brighter attitude and more leadership qualities.
Watson may not have convinced all fans that he should be in Cleveland, but he’s patched things up with players, and that means a lot.
NEXT: Insider Hints The Browns Are Ready To Make A Trade
