Shedeur Sanders defended teammate Deshaun Watson from the home crowd’s jeers, framing his stance around mutual respect.
Shedeur Sanders came to a teammate’s defense after a rough night at Huntington Bank Field, making clear he didn’t like watching Cleveland Browns fans boo Deshaun Watson during Saturday’s lopsided preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Asked about the crowd’s treatment of Watson, Sanders didn’t hold back.
“In general, I don’t appreciate that at all,” he told reporters after the game. “Regardless of competition, we’re all human beings. I don’t do things to humans that I wouldn’t want done to me. I don’t like making people feel uncomfortable in different spaces, and that’s why, even in daily things I do, I try to make sure everybody’s comfortable.”
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders on the home fans booing Deshaun Watson today:
“I do not appreciate that at all. Regardless of competition, we’re all human beings. … I don’t like making people feel uncomfortable in different spaces, and that’s why, even in daily things I do, I try to… pic.twitter.com/fn1IeWaR0U
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 23, 2026
The boos rained down early. Watson was jeered during pregame introductions in his first home appearance since tearing his Achilles during the 2024 season, and the hostility only grew once he took the field. He struggled badly, completing just 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception while playing alongside second- and third-stringers in the second half.
Watson took the reception personally afterward. Browns insider Camryn Justice reported that the quarterback called the booing a disrespectful and personal matter, pointedly noting that the same fan base cheered when he suffered his Achilles injury on that very field.
Sanders, by contrast, gave Cleveland something to feel good about. Starting the game and playing the entire first half, he completed 9 of 11 passes for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception, outplaying Watson and strengthening his case in the team’s muddled quarterback competition.
The night as a whole, however, belonged to Buffalo. The Bills routed the Browns 31-7, overwhelming Cleveland on both sides of the ball and leaving Sanders’ efficient half as one of the few bright spots for the home team.
Even with his strong showing, Sanders kept the focus on principle rather than the position battle. He framed his comments around respect, saying the fans were welcome to feel however they wanted about the Watson situation, but that everyone in the building was working toward the same goal of serving the franchise and winning games.
For a Browns team still searching for answers at quarterback, the loudest statement came from the crowd.
Shedeur Sanders came to a teammate’s defense after a rough night at Huntington Bank Field, making clear he didn’t like watching Cleveland Browns fans boo Deshaun Watson during Saturday’s lopsided preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Asked about the crowd’s treatment of Watson, Sanders didn’t hold back.
