Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is ignoring any outside noise regarding expectations ahead of a critical season.
Watson is heading into his third season with the Browns and is returning from season-ending shoulder surgery. He’s played in just 12 games since arriving in Cleveland via a 2022 blockbuster trade and the Browns need him on the field for a full season.
There’s been a lot of chatter about what Watson and if he’ll ever look like the Pro Bowl passer he once was in Houston. But Watson isn’t worried about what anyone else is saying. The Browns QB expressed clearly he has his own set of expectations and that his goal is a Super Bowl.
“I don’t live for other people’s expectations. I could care less about what anybody else has to say. None of that s–t really matters to me,” Watson said on the most recent episode of his “QB Unplugged” show. “Even if I got love for you, respectfully, but disrespectfully, I don’t give two f–ks about what you think. I got my own expectations and my expectation is to be a world champion one day. That’s what I want to do, so I have to surround myself with people who have been there before or came close to doing it. I have to find my way to get there. I’m going to do whatever I need to do to make sure I’m prepared to get there.”
Deshaun Watson Feels Criticism Not About Football
It’s fair to say, at this point, that the Browns’ big move for Watson hasn’t paid off. The Browns gave up a trio of first-round picks to land him via a 2022 trade and also handed him a $230 million fully guaranteed contract. He’s passed for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in a dozen games with the Browns.
The Browns are built to win with a stout defense and Pro Bowl-caliber players at key positions. Watson is the wild card. However, he feels like he’s shown the people in the building that he’s the man for the job.
“People are going to have their own opinions, but I’m to the point where [I feel] it ain’t even about football for most people anymore. It’s their personal opinions. They don’t even know me,” Watson said. “The football part, the people who see me every day, the people who play against me and compete against me, they know what’s up. I’m going to compete hard. I’m a football player and I’m going to give everything I got. I still got a lot of talent, a lot left in it. There ain’t no sugarcoating behind that. If I wasn’t good, if I wasn’t capable of doing these things, then they wouldn’t be talking about it.”
Browns Want ‘Best Version’ of Deshaun Watson
The Browns and Watson are on the same page regarding expectations. Cleveland skipper Kevin Stefanski noted that even the team’s best players are held to a very high standard during a June 6 appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.
“We always talk about how we want the best version of ourselves. I want the best version of Deshaun,” Stefanski told Eisen. “He is constantly getting better. I see so many of the veterans, Rich as you know, every single year you challenge them to get better. Even the guys who are at the height of their craft look at Myles Garrett, who is coming off being Defensive Player of the Year. He will be challenged by both of us, and I know he does this to himself, he needs to get better and there are things he can do to get better.
“I know Deshaun is in the same boat, he wants to be better, he wants to play better, every single game, every single year. …I’m excited for where he is right this minute with plenty of work to do. I know he’s going to continue to get better and get healthy. But I’m excited about Deshaun.”
