Deshaun Watson
Aug 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) slides under Buffalo Bills linebacker Theron Gaines (54) during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Browns were completely dismantled in their second preseason game of the season on Saturday, losing to the Buffalo Bills 31-7. Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson had a particularly horrible performance.
After turning in a solid performance in Cleveland’s first taste of game action against the Chicago Bears, Watson saw a major regression on Saturday, when he threw an interception and finished with just 35 yards passing and went 5-for-12 through the air. To make things worse for the veteran, he was booed mercilessly by the Cleveland faithful.
Browns locker room reacts
“It sucks,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said of the booing. “I don’t wanna get booed. Comes with the territory. You don’t wanna get booed, play good football. … Because it can turn just like that.”
Even second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is in direct competition with Watson for the starting job, said that he didn’t “like or respect” the treatment Watson got from Browns fans.
For his part, Watson doesn’t think the booing was about his performance on the field, poor as it was.
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” a smirking Watson said in his post-game presser. “It’s a little bit more personal than that. So, I think it’s a disrespectful thing.”
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Watson added, “When I’m in public, nobody says anything.”
Deshaun Watson on getting booed by the Browns home crowd today:
“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance. It’s a little bit more personal than that. So, I think it’s a disrespectful thing.” pic.twitter.com/3okcTuVD4x
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 22, 2026
Things got so bad between Watson and the crowd on Saturday that Front Office Sports’ Ben Axelrod questioned why the veteran’s standing in Cleveland wasn’t a national story. Ultimately, between his play on the field and the perception he’s gotten from his own fans, it’s going to be next-to-impossible for Monken to name Watson the starter without alienating a lot of people in Northeast Ohio.
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