Deshaun Watson says media expectations are fueling Browns QB1 questions
Brown Fans you guys are only one game into the season, and your ‘QB1’ in Deshaun Watson is already answering questions about whether he will still be QB1 when Cleveland plays its home opener in Week 3.
He will be getting another start against Tampa Bay on Sunday, after Cleveland’s ugly 34-10 loss to Jacksonville, but the presence of Shedeur Sanders behind him has made every conversation about the offense come with the same question: How long does Watson have if things do not improve?
He was asked today Wednesday whether he feels he needs a big game in Tampa to make sure he is still QB1 when the Browns finally return home in Week 3, Watson pushed back on the premise.
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“I think personally, all that is for the media,” Watson said. “I think the media has this expectation that I’m supposed to throw for 400 yards and five touchdowns every week. So, until that happens, I guess it’s gonna be the same situation. Again, my job is to make sure I’m operating well so we can try to get a win and keep moving forward from there.”
Watch Watson’s comments shared by Ari Meirov on X.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson says the idea that he needs a good game to remain the QB1 for the Week 3 home opener is media-driven:
“I think the media has this expectation that I’m supposed to throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns every week.”
Watson says he’s focused on operating… pic.twitter.com/LijaJvGpO0
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 16, 2026
Watson gets another shot after an ugly opener, and I don’t see an end to this soon
Brown fans don’t need 400 yards and five touchdowns from Watson in their first game against Jacksonville. The Browns simply needed their offense to stay on the field.
They were down 24-0 at halftime and 31-0 early in the third quarter. Watson finished 16 of 22 for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception, with his lone touchdown coming on a 46-yard ball to rookie Denzel Boston with 1:52 left.
Of course, there were other areas of attention beyond the quarterback that went wrong. Cleveland committed 11 penalties, turned it over twice, and struggled to get lined up cleanly throughout the afternoon. After watching the tape, first-year head coach Todd Monken said the Browns were “below the line” from both an operational and communication point of view.
The HC still backed Watson to start against Tampa Bay, saying there were throws and decisions on film the offense could build on. He also made it clear the entire unit had a hand in what happened, from the playcalling to the protection to Watson himself. What is baffling me is that I don’t know the film Monken is watching, to be frank.
Sanders got seven starts as a rookie last season, so Browns fans have already seen what the former Colorado star looks like running the offense. He remains QB2, which means every stalled drive from Watson is naturally going to bring his name back into the conversation; it will happen every minute Watson played for the franchise.
Watson’s next chance comes against a face he is familiar with. Baker Mayfield will be on the other sideline on Sunday, four years after Cleveland moved on from him to trade for their QB1.
Whether Watson walks into Huntington Bank Field still hearing questions about his job will have a lot to do with what Cleveland’s offense looks like in Tampa, I believe.
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