OCTOBER 21: An MRI confirmed on Monday Watson has, in fact, torn his Achilles (h/t Rapoport). His season is over, and attention will turn toward his Week 1 availability for the 2025 campaign.
OCTOBER 20, 10:00pm: When speaking about Watson’s injury after Cleveland’s loss, Stefanski confirmed the team’s fear is an Achilles tear. Further testing will be needed for confirmation, but in all likelihood Thompson-Robinson (who himself exited the contest due to a finger injury) or Winston will be leaned on for the remainder of the campaign.
2:20pm: Deshaun Watson remained atop the Browns’ quarterback depth chart to begin Week 7, but he has since exited the team’s ongoing contest. Watson suffered a non-contact injury affecting his right leg (video link), and he was carted off the field shortly thereafter.
Watson has since been diagnosed with an Achilles injury, per a team announcement. A tear has not been confirmed yet, but the possibility of that season-ending ailment is obviously high. Cleveland does indeed fear Watson suffered a tear, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
Further testing will be needed to confirm the worst-case scenario, but if that does take place the Browns will be forced to look at other quarterback options. Questions have been raised throughout the year about a change under center with Watson struggling mightily in 2024. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has repeatedly offered endorsements of the blockbuster trade acquisition (and not at the behest of ownership), who remains attached to the five-year, $230MM deal he signed upon arrival. That pact is guaranteed in full, ensuring Watson will remain in place beyond this season.
The former Texans Pro Bowler is owed $92MM over the final two years of his pact, and restructures have left him positioned to carry massive cap hits during that span. Likewise, any decision to cut him would lead to enormous dead money charges, while finding a trade partner would be impossible without sending notable draft capital to an acquiring team. For the time being, attention will turn to his recovery process after a second consecutive season-ending injury.
Watson dealt with a shoulder ailment which limited him to six games last year. Considering he was suspended for the first 11 contests of the 2022 campaign stemming from his sexual misconduct lawsuits, missed time was already a key element of his Browns tenure. Presuming the 29-year-old is indeed facing a torn Achilles, that will be the case to an even greater degree. Given the recovery timeline for such injuries, being healthy in time for the start of the 2025 campaign will likely be a challenge.
In the meantime, newly-promoted backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson will take over. The 2023 fifth-rounder made three starts during his rookie campaign, one during which the Browns cycled through several signal-callers and landed on Joe Flacco as their preferred starter. The veteran did not receive an offer to remain in Cleveland during free agency, however, and he took the Colts’ QB2 gig. Thompson-Robinson saw Tyler Huntley (who was eventually released) and Jameis Winston added to the mix this spring.
Winston has 80 starts to his name, but so far this season he has only attempted a single pass. Thompson-Robinson’s status as backup for today will give him the opportunity to stake a claim to the first-team role for the coming weeks. If he should struggle in that capacity, Winston will be available as an experienced option. Either way, Watson should not be expected to be on the field any time soon.
Poor guy (nope)
I wish there was a hot mike at line of scrimmage and near the the qb. Can you imagine the trash talk these players must heap on Watson? And you don’t even have to be original, the one liners just write themselves!
Imagine how embarrassed you would be in the post game interview saying something like “Well, I didn’t actually put any pressure on their QB but I did throw a few one liners his way”.
I doubt it, they’re all laughing all the way to the bank.
How many massages does he have scheduled to treat this injury?
I suppose it could be worse. They could have the officials from the Georgia -Texas game last night permanently assigned to their games all year. My God what a debacle that was.
Yeah that was terrible officiating. The holding call was bad (and I’m a die hard UGA fan). But the Refs clearly caved to the crowd which is bad for football in general….Kirby said it perfectly: “You’ve set a precedent now, if you throw trash on field you might be able to get calls overturned”
It takes a lot for me to say that that’s the worst officiated game I’ve ever seen. But that was just plain horrible. It wasn’t even that that was the worst call but there were at least 20 blown calls I could make a case for. That crew should never be assembled again. Even to work a Pee Wee Football Game. They shouldn’t even be allowed to PLAY Madden.
It wasn’t an injury to his groin, otherwise he would’ve booked a week of “massages”.
Great timing to Pi** off Winston. Does this team ever do anything right? LMAO
They have cover to not play him now. They were never going to bench him.
As my old man used to say, ” They( Browns in this case) , Could screw up cornflakes. Except he didn’t say screw.
Exactly. I think you could replace the word “fear” with “hope” in this article and it would make a lot more sense.
Karma is a b
My goodness, this is what it took to get him out of the starting job, too bad, hate to be happy but…..
Another victim might have done it.
victim of his touching or victim of having to watch him play?
It was(n’t) nice knowing you
I almost always find it crappy to take joy in an injury, but…
This injury to Watson is going to be a big hit to the Browns chances at getting the top pick in next year’s draft
the gift that keeps on giving
He hasn’t done anything in Cleveland. This may easily be the worst trade in history.
That was the worst trade in NFL history before the injury, easily. They gave up valuable assets and extended Watson knowing -KNOWING- what he had done. There is no level of incompetence in the league, at least with trades, that comes remotely close to that.
Everyone can already see that Watson was washed this season, too. Now that he’s going to be hobbled by an Achilles, he may somehow find a way to be worse. Forget him not wanting to run, he simply may not be able.
I feel bad for the Browns fans that didn’t defend this acquisition when it happened. They deserve better than being forced to watch these clowns that run this circus. That franchise isn’t just an embarrassment, it’s a complete joke.
Not only all that—including a contract so ludicrous it still hasn’t been topped—but he’d already had a very significant injury history, too.
It’s probably for the best
It’s an achilles, not a broken neck. Watson will recover. I dont think its unreasonable that some people are pleased with this guy getting hurt.
His Achilles might recover, but his talent: never.
I agree that some people don’t care about the person. Honestly I believe everyone makes mistakes, all we can do is try to grow from that experience.
Anyhow my original comment was more of a football comment. As in I think the Browns will be better off without Watson this season. He looks horrible out there. Sometimes he flashes for a moment but I think he lost that magic he once had. Anyhow, thanks for reading.
The jokes here… I understand the place it’s coming from, but the dude just suffered a crippling injury. I hope he gets well soon. I promise all of you, if you get mangled in a car accident or something, I promise I won’t laugh at you. I’ll wish you the best.
Well said….you knew all the immediate comments (see above) would say “Karma”, “couldn’t happen to better a person” blah blah blah, etc. People love throwing stones and tearing down others. Not condoning anything, but none of us truly know what happened and celebrating an injury reveals people and their own true terrible characteristic traits smh
I hope he makes a remarkable recovery – and then tears it again on his first snap after returning
@Jackson99…just see a prime example of @css2 for a good reference
Victim blaming also says a lot about a person’s character.
I absolutely agree…the irony of your own comment I’m sure is lost on you however
Victim blaming aka saying “nobody knows what happened” to those women. 99% of NFL players play their career without getting sued. But, I’m sure Deshaun’s 24 lawsuits are just a coincidence.
Watson may have tore his Achilles and he deserves it according to you correct? So you’re blaming the victim correct?…aka Victim blaming (according to your standards…correct?) I’m not saying Watson is good or bad person, but i would never celebrate someone’s injury. That’s you apparently. Love thy neighbor and your enemies regardless of their character.
So Watson is a victim of what exactly??? A non contact injury??? Is the field the guilty party??? Is he going to hire Buzbee to bring litigation against the grass???
The only thing Watson is a victim of is FAFO.
You have issues, bro. Forget about him for a sec, think about what this reply says about you! Psycho? Maybe. Petty? Absolutely. He might be a bad guy, but you might be too! Think about it.
it was a non-contact injury; maybe someone else feels the same way about Watson
Achilles tears are not crippling. Give me a break. Car wrecks ruin a lot of lives. Achilles injuries are mostly ruinous for athletes who haven’t gotten their payday yet.
People are evil man smh
Damn he’s gonna get more lawsuits coming unless they give him male nurses only.
It was a wise decision by the team to place Winston as their 3rd stringer today!
I’m glad Jameis will get once last chance to show something. I hope he does something with it. I always kind of liked him. Good luck man!
Browns “fear” an achilles tear? No. I’m sure Stefanski is secretly pleased he can move on from Watson for the year without the distraction of actually benching Watson.
Fear?
BRUTAL
Setting aside the obvious moral issues with deciding that a known serial rapist is your guy for one second…
Setting aside giving a guy a fully guaranteed deal and the risk of him never having to care what happens from there for one second…
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT, I don’t think enough people understood how rarely guys can sit out for a year or more and come back to be effective.
players.
Add to that the part where Watson never won a thing in HOU and was a garbage time king and the total lack of scouting…
And well, it’s just pure Browns.
Fear… Hope… Wish… Fervently pray that…
Karma is a real b#tch
Code for Watson quit on the team for at least the third time this year.. too bad they got rid of their glue guy Joe Flacco.. I’m not a big Flacco fan but he kept the team together last year. I might have to rescind my Watson support in the whole massage therapy scandal.
replay on red zone was pretty gruesome
Myles Garrett called him a model citizen.
This really doesn’t apply his injury – I just find it eyebrow raising.
Pick your battles man.
Yea, that took me by surprise. Cleveland is my closet team and have been since I was a kid during the Kosar era but damn man, calling out fans now who have endured way too much embarrassment and then literally saying a serial sexual predator is a model citizen?
Myles Garrett, famously suspended by the NFL for swinging his helmet at an opposing Pittsburgh Steeler.
This is not surprising at all. Myles Garrett is a piece of garbage who cried “racist” because he got caught pulling off a player’s helmet and attempted to assault him with it. Of course he would call Watson a model citizen.
Aww, did he hurt his little Achilles? Looked like he was crying when they carted him off. Was that Coach Stefanski doing cartwheels on the sidelines? Bad thing is they still have to pay him for nothing, but that’s what they were already getting from him.
This would eliminate a huge hole at QB
The only thing the Browns have to fear is they’ll win too many games to pick 1st in the draft.
What does it matter? They are dysfunctional enough to screw up the draft
I find it to be a very sad commentary of people in the society of sports when they applaud a potential Achilles tear to a player. Is Watson a model citizen…not according to everything that has been written and said about him and it’s really hard to defend his off the field actions because there is no defense, but the guy has suffered a possible career ending injury and I don’t wish that on anybody regardless of how much money they make or how many lawsuits he has had to settle. His play as Quarterback for the Browns has been abysmal at best and a flat-out disaster in total honesty and the very worst.
While I’m indifferent to DeShaun Watson as a person, I think he will never be
“Man of the Year” in the NFL, I do enjoy the fact that the Browns have to continue to pay him over the top money on a contract that will probably go down in NFL history as the WORST contract ever given to a player.
a career ending injury for someone who’s career should have already been ended except for the failure of the legal system with a judge that was at a party with watsons attorney?
yeah spare me that. this pathetic excuse of a human should be rotting in a cell.
Karma
FEAR? I think you mean rejoice
The only ones I feel badly for are the Browns fans.
An old Chinese proverb says when the self righteous laugh at the unrighteous they laugh at themselves.
“Never judge the unrighteous, just treat them as if they are righteous or else it’s really you who is the bad person for noticing that they are, if you think about it…”
-The Unrighteous (with great sanctimony)
To bad the QB prospects aren’t very good next year, but knowing the browns they would screw up the pick anyway. Just think, next year,a new head coach, a new QB, but the same ignorant owner.
How can they think Thompson-Robinson is better than Winston? Do they really want to win or just lose to get a better draft pick at this point?
Cleveland’s coming schedule may encourage a tank job: Ravens home, Chargers home, open date, Saints away, Steelers home. And the Steeler game is a midweek special that can be flexed out.
The people want to see Russel and/or Justin.
29 year old with a 92 year old body. Watson should negotiate some type of settlement of his contract so he can retire. No fun being rich and in a wheelchair the rest of your life. This is actually the only leverage the Browns have. Threaten to play him, not promise NOT to play him.
This signing is magnitudes worse than Albert Haynesworth.
This is the best thing to happen to the Browns in their teams history.
The subtraction of Watson immediately makes them better.
The NFL should get rid of the ownership in Cleveland and move them St.Louis. There should be never another NFL team allowed in Cleveland again!!! They thought Watson was the savior but should of got a better quarterback coach for Mayfield!!! Cleveland Browns are the worst franchise in NFL history!