Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has publicly accepted responsibility for the team’s disappointing 2024 season. In a recent statement, Watson acknowledged his subpar performance and the impact it has had on the Browns’ 3-10 record. He expressed remorse, stating, “I haven’t played up to the standard that I hold myself to, and I take full responsibility for our struggles this season.”
Watson’s tenure with the Browns has been fraught with challenges since his acquisition in 2022. The team traded three first-round picks to the Houston Texans and signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, the largest in NFL history at the time. However, his on-field performance has not met expectations. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Watson’s completion percentage was 59.8%, with an average of 6.5 yards per attempt and a passer rating of 81.7, placing him among the bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks.
The 2024 season has been particularly challenging for Watson. In Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, he failed to complete a single pass on ten or more attempts of 15 yards or more downfield, a first in recorded NFL history. Through the first five games, he posted a league-low total QBR of 23.9 and failed to achieve over 200 passing yards in a game, contributing to the Browns’ 1-4 start. In Week 7, Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, further compounding the team’s difficulties.
Despite these setbacks, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has expressed support for head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, indicating that the organization will evaluate all aspects of the team at the end of the season. Haslam stated, “We will evaluate everything at the end of the season,” suggesting potential changes but remaining non-committal about Watson’s future with the team.
As the Browns look to rebuild and improve, Watson’s acknowledgment of his role in the team’s struggles may be a step toward addressing the issues that have plagued the franchise in recent years.
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