New Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken was adamant that Deshaun Watson’s status as the starting quarterback wasn’t going to be a week-to-week thing. He stressed that he wouldn’t be on a short leash, but after Week 1’s lackluster performance and more disappointing comments to the media, the ice is getting thinner and if he has another bad performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, there are going to be some tough questions to answer heading into the first home game of the year in Week 3.
For Browns fans, it still hurts to even see him out there. He is a painful reminder of how poorly this relationship has gone over the past four years and with each bad start, it only gets worse. Almost nobody believes in him at this point outside of that locker room, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who was one of the latest to throw more gasoline onto this burning fire.
During Thursday’s episode of First Take, Smith didn’t mince his words when discussing Watson’s performance in Week 1, and throughout his tenure in Cleveland.
“Deshaun Watson, in Cleveland, you have been awful,” said Smith.
"Deshaun Watson, in Cleveland, you have been awful." 🫣@stephenasmith on what he's seen from the Browns' QB1. pic.twitter.com/7vNes4lgQT
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 17, 2026
He’s completely right and there doesn’t need to be any more context to those words. Smith was referring to Watson’s comments about the media having unrealistic expectations of him, and it’s unfathomable that Watson is still refusing to take accountability and is painting himself as the victim.
Even if you put his well-documented legal issues aside, he is on a $230 million fully-guaranteed contract and has made 20 starts for this team in five years. He said the media expects him to throw for 400 yards and five touchdowns every week, but in those 20 starts in Cleveland, he has only thrown for three touchdowns one time and hasn’t even thrown for 300 yards. He has a 9-11 record with the Browns and hasn’t shown any personal growth even after taking two years off to recover from his torn Achilles.
All he would have to do is show a little understanding and compassion for what these fans have been through. It wouldn’t hurt him to simply acknowledge that he hasn’t lived up to his contract and he is now doing everything he can to turn it around. That’s all it would have taken to get back on the fans’ good side at least a little bit, but he continues to lash out.
It’s tough to watch and he needs a big performance on Sunday in the worst way.
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