Unless Deshaun Watson leads the Cleveland Browns to a Super Bowl this year, the trade that brought him over from Houston will go down as one of the worst not only in NFL history, but in the history of professional sports.
Even when his contract is finally off the books, the Browns will be left with sizable dead cap hits in future years due to previous restructures, and they have a big nothing-burger to show for it. It has been a painful five years, and the Browns have every reason, both on and off the field, to feel a certain way.
However, instead of trying to be politically correct or endear himself to the fan base that has suffered through his suspension, injuries, and disappointing performances, Watson stuck to his tough guy shtick in the lead-up to preseason Game 2 against Buffalo.
"I don't care," the former Houston Texans draft pick responded when asked about the potential reception he could get on Saturday in his first game back in Cleveland after his injury.
“I think the biggest thing I’m proud of is just my mental, being able to block out the noise, being able to keep smiling through everything and control my own narrative regardless," Watson added. "So I think that’s the biggest thing, just my mentality, keeping it at peace, keeping it fresh, so I can be able to be in front of you guys and talk to you today and still be in a quarterback battle."
Winning back Browns fans starts with accountability, not defiance
What has Deshaun Watson ever done for the Browns' fan base? Why should anyone still pull for him after the way he's played and how he has carried himself since he arrived in Berea?
This is the lack of accountability and self-awareness that has turned a former MVP candidate into a has-been who is highly unlikely to be a high-level starter in this league again.
Granted, Watson may not have much love for the fans who cheered when he got hurt during the 2024 regular season. That wasn't the entire fan base, and while that also speaks volumes about how dreadful the Watson era has been, it was classless. We'll give him that.
But if you're making $46 million per season to barely play, have a losing record, and rank near the bottom of the league in most major stat categories, perhaps you should be a bit more humble.
Watson should be looking to endear himself to the fan base again, especially if he's about to be named Cleveland's starter for Week 1 of the regular season.
Watson keeps acting as if the Browns' organization or the football gods owe him something when it's the other way around. His tenure in Cleveland has been an absolute failure, and he still has the nerve to act as if he's better than the very people who chose to look the other way and pull for him through the most controversial chapter of his career.
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