BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson knows he can’t change the public perception of him or the results of his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
That’s why the embattled 10-year veteran quarterback is focusing on winning back the Browns' starting job, something that seemed unfathomable a year ago, when Watson was recovering from tearing Achilles tendon twice and it appeared he would never play for Cleveland again.
“At the end of the day, I can’t control what people support. I think that’s their own opinion,” Watson said Wednesday, speaking to reporters for the first time in nearly two years. “I think that all I can do is just put out the best person I am, showcase who I am as a person, as a player, as a teammate, and what I represent as an individual. So outside of that, I can’t focus on what the outside is saying.”
If Watson is named the starter for the Browns' opener on Sept. 13 at Jacksonville, it will be 693 days between starts. His last game was in Week 7 of the 2024 season against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he ruptured his right Achilles tendon during the second quarter on a draw play.
Watson tore the tendon again two months later and was declared out for the 2025 season. Owner Jimmy Haslam said during last year’s owners meetings that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” when they sent three first-round picks to Houston for Watson in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal that could end up as the worst contract in NFL history.
Despite Haslam’s proclamation, Watson still believed he would get another chance after conversations with the front office, Haslam and his wife and co-owner, Dee.
“The relationship is great. Dee and Jimmy were at my wedding. We talk all the time. He calls me whenever,” Watson said.
Watson and Shedeur Sanders have appeared evenly matched during offseason workouts. Coach Todd Monken had hoped to name a starter before training camp, but said, “Both played well enough to earn the right to compete to start.”
Watson likes Monken’s system because it resembles what he played under during his five seasons with the Houston Texans from 2017 to 2021.
“It’s a lot of responsibility on the quarterback, and I think that’s what I had in Houston with Bill O’Brien. It was pretty much that Tom Brady tree and everything relied on the quarterback operation,” Watson said. “He’s given a lot of responsibility to us, and you’ve got to own the responsibilities, situations, and decisions on the field. That’s something I’m very comfortable with.”
When asked about the quarterback competition, Sanders downplayed any indication that there is one.
“I think the way y’all look at things is different than how we look at things,” Sanders said. “Y’all look at it as like a competition. That’s really nothing I’m just focused on. I’m focused on developing as a player, like doing everything, getting as comfortable as I can in the offense in the scheme, and playing with that confidence I had.”
No matter what happens during training camp and the upcoming season, Watson said he’s in a great place mentally. He credits his wife, Jilly Anais, whom he married last July, for the change in outlook.
“I think the biggest thing is, I’m an introvert now, so I don’t really get into all the outside stuff and noise as I used to,” he said. “I used to be a social person back in the day and kind of more open, but now I’m just kind of watching my surroundings and my moves and just kind of focus on the things that I need to focus on.”
Watson’s biggest focus going into the season is playing all 17 games. In 2022, he missed the first 11 games because of a league suspension resulting from his alleged sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. He made six starts in 2023 before a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven last year before the Achilles tendon injury.
Watson is 9-10 with Cleveland with 19 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating.
“I can’t look in the past. I can’t look in the rearview mirror. Obviously, you know those situations, and you have those experiences, but at the same time, you’ve got to keep pushing forward. If I keep stepping forward and standing 10 toes down, then I’ll be good,” he said.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to pass during the NFL football team's practice, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in Berea, Ohio (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson stretches during the teams' NFL football practice, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, left, hands off to running back Dylan Sampson, right, during the teams' NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
