In early 2025, Cleveland Browns workforce co-owner Jimmy Haslam appeared to shut the ebook on the membership’s Deshaun Watson period when Haslam said that Cleveland “took an enormous swing and miss” when it acquired Watson from the Houston Texans in March 2022 after which signed him to a completely assured five-year, $230M contract.
Watson has since been given an opportunity to compete with Shedeur Sanders for the appropriate to win the Browns’ beginning quarterback job forward of the 2026 NFL season. Whereas talking with reporters on Wednesday, Watson was requested about Haslam’s controversial remark.
Deshaun Watson not offended by “swing and a miss” remark
“I imply, the connection is nice,” Watson mentioned about his dealings with the Haslam household, per the Browns’ web site. “Dee and Jimmy, they had been at my wedding ceremony. We discuss on a regular basis. He calls me every time, you recognize, issues occur and issues like that. Certainly one of my favourite baseball gamers that I’ve been watching is Bryce Harper. Typically he swings, however he stands again up, and he will get one other alternative, and he hits a house run. So, you by no means know when the chance may present up, and that’s what I’ve proper now.”
Watson’s 2023 season ended prematurely due to a shoulder harm, and he was one of many league’s worst beginning quarterbacks earlier than he went down with a torn Achilles in October 2024. He hasn’t performed since he suffered that preliminary setback, and he has made simply 19 regular-season begins for the Browns.
Deshaun Watson not attempting to show the clock again
Earlier than Watson sat by means of the complete 2021 season amid his want for a commerce, he earned the third Professional Bowl nod of his profession for his play in the course of the 2020 marketing campaign. On Wednesday, he prompt he’s not attempting to match what he achieved the final time he performed like an elite QB1.
“I’m not attempting to actually replicate 2020,” Watson defined. “I’m a special individual. I’m older, extra sensible. So, I feel on the similar time, I do know everybody desires to, we’re on the clock on that, however we will’t do this. So, on the finish of the day, I simply obtained to deal with being the very best product and being the very best participant I can for Deshaun Watson as a Cleveland Brown participant. In order that’s all I’m targeted on.”
Watson reportedly has no long-term future with the Browns past the upcoming season, and he may enter September because the membership’s QB2. Fact be advised, he could must hit a couple of figurative residence run throughout preseason video games to defeat Sanders within the battle that’s anticipated to run by means of a portion of August.
