Gregg Williams Says One Thing Unlocked Deshaun Watson
(Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images)
Maybe all Deshaun Watson needed was someone to believe in him when no one else would. Watching what the Cleveland Browns have been able to accomplish with Todd Monken as head coach and Watson at quarterback, it would be hard to dispute that idea.
Monken stood by Watson, never more so than in the aftermath of a preseason game when the QB chastised fans for booing him. Instead of abandoning him at that point, which many people wanted and expected him to do, Monken named Watson the Browns’ starter less than 48 hours later.
Instead of ignoring the uncomfortable circumstance and hoping it would blow over, Monken discussed it with Watson directly. The heart-to-heart conversation could be seen as the turning point of Cleveland’s season before it even started.
Former Browns head coach Gregg Williams said one thing has unlocked Watson in his comeback campaign, and it is Monken holding him accountable for his words and his performance.
“Deshaun’s made some great plays at the end of the games. He’s come back to some of the things that he has done way before he came to Cleveland, and that is because of the accountability that Todd and everybody has held,” Williams said.
➡️ Former #Browns HC Gregg Williams w/ @CLETalkingHeads on how Todd Monken's accountability has helped Deshaun Watson regain his confidence in clutch moments. pic.twitter.com/Ol2MLgJpOz
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 26, 2026
Watson has arguably been a middling quarterback for most of this season, but he has become a different player in the fourth quarter, leading five game-winning drives that have put Cleveland into first place in the AFC North. That would not be possible without the full belief of his head coach and his teammates.
During his first four NFL seasons with the Houston Texans, Watson had similar runs during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, engineering multiple game-winning drives. He also had a comeback win in the playoffs, a 22-19 overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills.
But after being sidelined for almost two years by multiple Achilles injuries, it was unknown if Watson could ever recapture that Pro Bowl form. Now, not only does he have the Browns on a path toward the playoffs, but he is a contender to win Comeback Player of the Year and is in line to receive another lucrative contract this offseason.
Monken is also a favorite to win Coach of the Year, which he may deserve just for what he has been able to accomplish with Watson.