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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson seems to be aware just how much the NFL world is rooting against him, at least based on recent comments he made in an Instagram video. In the video, Watson bemoaned that “everyone is doubting him.”
During a Week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals last season, Deshaun Watson suffered a torn right Achilles tendon, ending his season. Then while rehabilitating, Watson re-ruptured the same Achilles tendon in January, setting him back even further.
Despite the double-tear of his Achilles, the controversial Browns signal caller is seemingly confident in is ability to return to the field and be better than ever (which is something he hasn’t even been able to do in recent years while healthy). Watson is expected to miss the entirety of the 2025 season.
“Everyone is doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me. Everyone don’t think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself… I know, I’m gonna be way better than before,” Watson says in the video.
The reason that much of the NFL world is rooting against Watson, of course, is because he’s been accused of sexual misconduct by over 20 women, which is ultimately what led to the Houston Texans, the team that drafted him, trading him to the Cleveland Browns. From there, the Browns dug their own grave even further by handing Watson a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal.
In his seven starts during the 2024 season, Watson completed 63.4% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Due to the guaranteed contract the Browns gave him in March 2022, however, Cleveland are stuck with him for another two seasons and still owe him $93 million despite restructuring his contract in March.
In addition to Watson, the only other quarterback on the Browns’ roster is former first round pick Kenny Pickett, whom they acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.