Browns QB Deshaun Watson addressed the expected reaction from the home crowd ahead of Saturday’s game vs. the Bills with a blunt response.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not concerned about how fans might react when he takes the field on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field.
Asked Wednesday whether he was prepared for the reception he could receive from the home crowd, the 30-year-old gave an honest three-word answer: “I don’t care.”
Deshaun Watson was asked if he’s thought at all about the reception he’ll get from Browns fans on Saturday at Huntington Bank Field.
His answer: pic.twitter.com/Fiiifc1fH1
— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) August 19, 2026
The response comes with Watson competing against Shedeur Sanders for Cleveland’s starting QB job. Sanders will start Saturday’s preseason game after Watson opened the preseason against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15. However, Thursday’s joint practice with the Bills could carry a lot of weight in the competition before head coach Todd Monken potentially makes a Week 1 decision.
Watson’s relationship with Browns fans has been complicated since Cleveland acquired him from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and gave him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. Before playing a meaningful snap for Cleveland, Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions.
Injuries have also restricted Watson to 19 regular-season starts with the Browns. He went 9-10 in those games. His 2023 season was disrupted by a rotator cuff injury and a fractured glenoid bone and torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder. He later underwent two surgeries for a torn Achilles after suffering the injury in October 2024 and re-tearing it during rehabilitation, which kept him out for the entire 2025 season.
That October 2024 home game against Cincinnati remains particularly salient. Some Browns fans cheered while Watson was on the field after rupturing his Achilles, as teammates including Myles Garrett and Jameis Winston condemned the reaction.
Watson returned to game action against the Bears last week, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards without a touchdown or interception. He also lost a fumble and recorded a 98.2 passer rating.
Sanders has become particularly popular among Cleveland supporters after going 3-4 in seven starts last season. Watson, meanwhile, is trying to focus on improving rather than competing against Sanders directly.
His next opportunity comes on Saturday, when he is expected to enter in the third quarter. If Watson wins the starting job, the Browns’ first two games are on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while six of Cleveland’s first nine games are away from home.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not concerned about how fans might react when he takes the field on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Asked Wednesday whether he was prepared for the reception he could receive from the home crowd, the 30-year-old gave an honest three-word answer: “I don’t care.
