Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson sent strong messages to critics ahead of the 2024 season before he suffered multiple Achilles injuries that have his NFL future up in the air.
In an Instagram video posted on Tuesday, Watson seemed to share fresh words for those doubting him amid his ongoing recovery.
"In a sense, you can’t take it personally," Watson said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I kind of learned that, but I think naturally we kind of do that as humans, trying to take other people’s opinions personally. It goes back to people don’t understand me. They don’t know. So when they don’t understand and know something, they kind of try to speak on it."
Browns supporters and other football fans routinely rip Watson due to the allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions that resulted in him serving an 11-game suspension during the 2022 season. Moreover, the 29-year-old has been a flop since he received a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract to join Cleveland from the Houston Texans in March 2022.
Watson made 19 starts for the Browns before he tore his Achilles on Oct. 20, 2024. During his recovery, he tore his Achilles again, and many reporters now believe he'll never again take a meaningful snap for Cleveland.
"At the end of the day," Watson added during his comments, "I’ve got to understand too — like my name, my presence are actually bigger than what people see."
The Browns are expected to acquire a veteran like Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons or Russell Wilson to serve as their starter in September. Many also think Cleveland could try to trade for the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, which would be spent on Miami quarterback Cam Ward, or use the draft's second selection to take Colorado signal-caller Shedeur Sanders.
As much as Watson may want to prove doubters wrong, it's unlikely he'll get a chance to do so as a member of the Browns.
