The boo birds rained down on Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson today as he struggled mightily in his second appearance. Speaking to reporters afterwards, he responded to the harsh treatment he received.
When asked to give his reaction to the boos following the Browns’ 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Watson said that he has no reaction and doesn’t believe that the boos had anything to do with his performance. He pointed out that he’s received boos dating back to when he tore his Achilles several years ago.
“I didn’t have no reaction,” Watson said. “I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance. It’s a little bit [more] personal than that. I think that’s a disrespectful thing. I’m gonna keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally with how I feel about that and move on.”
“Last time I played on this field I tore my Achilles. That same fan base cheered when I got hurt. What does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city and they cheer?”
Fans call the boos deserved.
Watson has been a polarizing figure since before he was even traded to the Browns following the assault and harassment allegations made against him while he was still with the Houston Texans. Others hate him solely because of his on-field struggles in the years since that blockbuster trade.
It’s little wonder then that fans who still despise Watson took this moment to give him another piece of their minds:
“It’s not ‘personal…’ Browns fans know they overpaid for an absolute BUST. That is all,” one user wrote on X.
“Because they want Shedeur. And they are right. There’s a future Hall of Famer ready to play and then there’s you,” wrote another.
“The literal last possible guy who’s allowed to have a victim complex,” a third remarked.
“They’re booing you because every game you play you throw up a Ham and Swiss on a Ciabatta bun with light mustard.”
© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The downside for the Browns is that Watson is effectively immovable from their roster until 2027. His contract is just too big and the cap hit would be too crippling for them to act otherwise.
If Watson isn’t starting for the Browns in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he might become the highest-paid bench-warming QB in league history.
