Deshaun Watson has been the biggest story in Cleveland all week. Two days after a rough preseason outing against the Buffalo Bills, where he completed just 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and threw an interception, the quarterback found himself at the center of a decision that stunned much of the fan base. What happened next turned frustration into something far more extreme.
Fan Burns Deshaun Watson Jersey As Browns Fallout Grows
On Monday, Browns coach Todd Monken made the call that head coaches rarely make lightly. He named Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback for Week 1 over Shedeur Sanders, ending an offseason long quarterback competition that had split the fan base for months.
The timing made the decision even harder to accept. Watson had just called Cleveland fans “disrespectful” for booing him during the loss to Buffalo, and many saw the promotion as a reward for those comments rather than for performance.
Deshaun Watson
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) leaves the field during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Reaction was swift and visible. Fans gathered outside the Browns training facility to yell their frustration as cars drove by. Protest signs appeared on the Jim Brown statue outside the stadium.
One video, shared widely online, showed a fan setting a Deshaun Watson jersey on fire in his backyard and watching it burn to ash, a scene that quickly spread across social media as a symbol of just how far patience with the quarterback has worn thin.
🚨🚨THIS IS WILD🚨🚨
A #BROWNS FAN POSTED A VIDEO OF HIM BURNING HIS DESHAUN WATSON JERSEY AND COMPLETELY TORCHING IT IN HIS BACKYARD.
Hundreds of Cleveland fans have been posting that they’re burning their Watson jerseys after he was named QB1. pic.twitter.com/pM5z9PNdqJ
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) August 26, 2026
Monken said Monday the choice came down to performance, not emotion. “Gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points,” he explained, pointing to training camp reps and joint practices as deciding factors.
Deshaun Watson’s Comments Add Fuel To The Fire
The controversy traces back to Watson’s own words. After Saturday’s loss, he told reporters the booing felt personal, noting that the same fans who jeered him this month once cheered when he tore his Achilles tendon in 2024.
His remarks reopened old wounds for a fan base already frustrated by his $230 million contract, his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, and inconsistent play since arriving in a blockbuster trade.
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Deshaun Watson throws at the Browns OTA in Berea on May 27, 2026.
By Monday, Watson’s tone had softened. Watson said Saturday it was “a disrespectful thing,” a stance he later walked back as backlash grew across Cleveland. Sanders, who split reps with Watson all summer, has stayed quiet publicly, letting Monken’s decision speak for itself.
Cleveland Browns now turns the page toward Week 1, where a very different kind of test awaits on the road.
Watson now heads into Week 1 as Cleveland’s starter, jersey burning and all. The Browns open the season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13, a fresh chance for Watson to answer critics with performance, not words.
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