The Cleveland Browns were in something of a no-win situation – literally – deciding on a starting quarterback between flawed contenders Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. Both of them are considered to be among the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, and neither choice was likely to result in a playoff season this year.
That alone is tough to take for the long-suffering franchise, but somehow, head coach Todd Monken made the situation so much worse. On the day he made the announcement that Watson had earned the job, the unpopular quarterback had to face the media and address comments he made about the Browns’ fan base.
Watson was booed taking the field in the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, and for every bad play he made – and there were several – more boos followed. Afterward, he called the response “disrespectful” and “personal” and said it had nothing to do with his performance.
Analyst Katie Nolan recently gave Watson a big reality check, saying a past that includes multiple sexual assault allegations makes him impossible to root for.
“That’s your fan base, and they don’t like you. Yes, it’s personal because of who you’ve shown yourself to be as a person. It’s disrespectful because they don’t feel you have earned or deserve their respect because of your actions,” Nolan said.
“That’s your fanbase, and they don’t like you!”@KatieNolan to Deshaun Watson: Maybe the problem isn’t the #Browns fans… maybe it’s the guy they’re booing. pic.twitter.com/rg9mKWVCDc
— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) August 26, 2026
After getting the job, instead of talking about his two-year comeback from an Achilles injury or how he expects the offense to function this season, Watson had to explain his petulant reaction. He said he was emotional at the time and understood the frustration of the fans, but he stopped short of issuing an actual apology.
While explaining his choice, Monken mentioned that it was made in part because the Browns open the season with two road games, at the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, it may be fair to wonder whether he would have chosen to send Watson out in front of those fans had Week 1 been at home, although the coach seems steadfast enough in his belief in Watson to have done so.
Now, it will be interesting to see if Watson plays well enough in those first two games to keep the job for the Week 3 home opener against the Carolina Panthers, and what kind of response that will draw from the fans if he does.
NEXT: Ben Roethlisberger Takes Big Jab At Browns
