Deshaun Watson spoke to the media and kept the focus on football
Deshaun Watson spoke to the media for the first time since August 18 and kept the talk strictly to football as he prepares to take the field on Sunday.
As we inch closer and closer to Deshaun Watson being the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns, he addressed the media on Thursday afternoon ahead of practice. There was a lot of hoopla on Twitter over him not speaking on Wednesday, the normally designated time for Cleveland quarterbacks to speak, but a day later he spoke to the media.
Watson began by thanking the Browns’ organization and teammates for welcoming him back to the team and also his personal trainers. He stated that he would only be answering football-related questions.
Then says “football questions is what I want to address at this time” and also throws a shoutout to Jacoby Brissett. https://t.co/Yt9g23P1qb
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) December 1, 2022
On Sunday when the Browns head to Houston to take on the Texans, it will be a homecoming of sorts for Watson, as he spent the first five years of his NFL career there. He said he’s excited to be playing back in Houston as he has a lot of love for the Texans organization, ownership, and the city of Houston.
The main focus for No. 4 is locked in on the game plan and trying to execute. Watson said his biggest focus was on the mental aspect of the game and staying locked in on defensive schemes as well as the Browns’ offensive scheme.
“My biggest focus was the mental part. Staying locked in on defensive schemes and staying locked in on the scheme we have here. Just following Jacoby, asking him questions … preparing like I was the starter that week.” https://t.co/0ywikzCGwL
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) December 1, 2022
Watson was highly complementary of Jacoby Brissett who was the team’s starter during the length of the former’s 11-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He said Brissett has this offense in the top five of almost every category, so now it is on him to live up to that standard.
When asked about how close he feels to being the same player we saw two years ago and he said
“We have to see Sunday. Two years is a long time, but I’ve been doing this since I was six years old.”
When Watson was allowed back in the building a few weeks ago, he said the first thing he did was listen to how Brissett talked to the receivers, which could go a long way for this team.
This will arguably be the best roster Watson has been on in his NFL career and he’s excited to work alongside Nick Chubb, who he has been watching since high school, and Kareem Hunt, who he says makes the huddle more relaxed for everyone.
Naturally, there were going to be questions that related more to the off-the-field issues, but Watson was poised and kept it strictly football. Once the initial questions of how he felt his therapy had gone and things of that nature, Watson seemed more comfortable as the questions transitioned to football talk.
For as good as this offense has been in Watson’s absence, it will surely get even better once the rust – if there is any – wears off. He will be able to help the Browns in at least three ways, starting on Sunday.
Cleveland got a potential season-saving victory over the Buccaneers last Sunday in overtime. There are other storylines involving the Texans game, but obviously, the biggest one is Watson’s season and team debut.
After months and months of drama off the field, Watson seemed laser-focused on the football side of things when he spoke to the media before practice on Wednesday. Now, we will see what he can do with and for this team and see if there is any late-season magic toward a playoff berth.
