The Cleveland Browns’ decision to name Deshaun Watson the Week 1 starter has continued to draw big reactions from around the football world, and former Browns safety T.J. Ward added his voice to the growing chorus of skeptics. Appearing on The Jim Rome Show, Ward made his stance clear when discussing the Browns quarterback situation.
“I’m surprised, but I’m not surprised. I don’t agree with it. I think they should have got on the road with Shedeur. Bring the young, vibrant quarterback in; let him take over the reins. Start fresh. We’ve seen Deshaun Watson. We’ve seen the best of him, we’ve seen the worst of him. It’s time to move on and start new. Monken is a new head coach in a new city. I think he should have started with a new guy,” Ward said.
"We've seen Deshaun Watson. We've seen the best of him, we've seen the worst of him. It's time to move on and start new."@BossWard43 gives his take on the Browns QB situation. pic.twitter.com/SzYtZKrcfl
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) August 24, 2026
Ward’s comments follow a stretch where Watson stirred up controversy, beginning with his emotional press conference after the loss to Buffalo in which he admitted uncertainty about overcoming the boos at home. Many analysts have suggested that Watson is not in the right mental space to lead a football team.
Whether Ward’s opinion reflects a broader sentiment among former Browns players remains to be seen, but his comments add another layer to what has already become one of the most scrutinized quarterback decisions in recent franchise memory. With Watson now set to open the season on the road against Jacksonville before a return to Huntington Bank Field in Week 3, every performance will be measured against the growing chorus of voices, including his own former teammates, who believe the organization may have already moved past the point of a fair evaluation. How Watson responds on the field will ultimately determine whether opinions like Ward’s fade or gain further traction as the season progresses.
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