Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson attempted to smooth things over with the fanbase on Monday after drawing criticism for postgame comments following the team’s second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.

Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starting quarterback for the 2026 NFL season earlier in the week, ending a competition with Shedeur Sanders that stretched from offseason OTAs through the preseason.

The decision came despite a rough outing for Watson against Buffalo. He went 5-of-12 passing for 36 yards with an interception on an overthrow that wasn’t close. Watson had multiple three-and-outs, and some Browns fans in attendance booed him off the field several times. The performance followed a joint practice with the Bills earlier in the week where Watson looked rather decent, making the game day showing all the more frustrating.

After the game, Watson’s reaction is one that didn’t sit well with the fanbase. Comments included but weren’t limited to him saying he thought it was going to be different in Cleveland in terms of how he’s been accepted or treated. 

“I don’t regret anything in my life,” Watson said of coming to Cleveland. “You know, I think the Lord put me through situations for a reason, so I don’t, I don’t regret anything at all. But you know, I had different thoughts on how it was going to be, but you know, it is what it is. You know, sometimes you know the tables turn, and I’m patient enough because I’m a child of God to you know wait for that time to change.”

Those comments, along with others, drew sharp backlash from a large portion of the Browns fanbase. On Monday, after being named the starter, Watson walked them back.

Deshaun Watson attempts to smooth things over with Browns fanbase, only one path to it happening 

Walking the comments back was likely expected and probably pushed down for him to do. Still, the Browns fanbase isn’t going to accept words alone given how the last four years have gone with Watson on the roster.

“I think just human nature and myself being very emotional, putting a lot of time these last two years to get back, spend time in this facility, in the city, meeting a lot of different people in the community, I thought I was going to get a little different response,” Watson stated. “But I think my emotions got the best of me, and my comments weren’t intended to go at any of the fans around the city, because there’s been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me.”

I know the frustration this organization has put a lot of investment into getting me back in ’22, and things haven’t been going the right direction that we thought it would. A lot of injuries, a lot of time off, and not putting my best football and my best foot forward. So, again, I understand the frustration, I understand everything that goes into that. Moving forward, I just want to focus on football, making sure that I’m putting the best product out there, having the best ability because I thrive off the energy. I thrive off the energy of the fans, I thrive off the energy of the community, I thrive off all that stuff.”

Watson has never produced near the Pro Bowl-level quarterback play he had in Houston, and he’s never played more than seven games in a single season with Cleveland since the team acquired him in 2022. In 19 starts with the Browns, Watson has thrown 19 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions for 3,365 yards. He went 1-6 in 2024 across seven starts before an Achilles injury knocked him out for the season.

The only way Cleveland’s fanbase gets behind Watson at this point is if he goes out and delivers quality quarterback play while showcasing the exciting new offensive weapons the Browns have added. That’s the only path to winning this fanbase back, and it’s up to him to make it happen.