Deshaun Watson Named Brown's Starting QB & Everyone Is Furious

Before the Cleveland Browns could get the 2026 season underway, they had some internal competition to deal with: who would be QB1?

After months of offseason chatter and training camp evaluations, Deshaun Watson has been selected as the first-string quarterback over Shedeur Sanders. 

CBS Sports confirms Browns coach Todd Monken’s choice, making the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars Watson’s first start in almost two years.

In October 2024, he tore his Achilles, ending that season, and then re-tore it in January 2025, causing him to miss all of last year too. 

In his absence last season, Sanders had most of the starts, with a few opportunities given to Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, and the team finished 5-12.

Monken explained his thought process in putting Watson under center.

“[I] took in the whole body of work over the course of offseason to training camp to games, the joint practice and ultimately felt like, to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points. That’s really what it’s about,” Monken said. “I felt that way going into the last game but wasn’t sure. After we talked as a staff and after we re-looked at everything, we’re gonna go in that direction.”

The decision wasn’t popular among fans and around the league, with the younger Sanders a more sound choice if the franchise wants to develop talent and look to the future.

But to that, Monken said Sanders has “done a great job, come a long way, and we’re excited about his future. However, he shut down the narrative, adding, “this is not a week-to-week decision.”

Browns fans showed their distaste for Watson by booing him after the team’s 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Then Watson didn’t help when he told the media that the boos were “disrespectful” and he didn’t “respect” the fans for doing so.

He added that it felt more “personal” because, “Last time I played on this field I tore my Achilles, and that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt. What does that have to do with anything about performance?”

Watson later apologized for his remarks and acknowledged the season will have its trials and tribulations. 

“There’s gonna be a lot of ups and downs,” Watson said of returning to a starting role, “but at the same time, I’m excited to be a starting quarterback in this league and especially a starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.”

Other fans are morally angry with Watson getting the starting position, because he’s been accused of sexual assault 27 times, and in addition to an 11-game suspension, he paid a record-setting $5 million fine for the allegations.

So, social media isn’t nearly as excited as he is about the news. See the reactions below.