Deshaun Watson Set to Retire Browns Ahead of Season Finale with Issues Affecting the Team
Deshaun Watson is set to head back to Los Angeles after spending some time with the Cleveland Browns during their playoff push.
Watson is returning to L.A. to continue his rehab on his shoulder, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. He had surgery on November 21 following the season-ending injury he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens.
Watson was on the Browns’ sideline on Thursday, December 28 for the first time since his injury. He had been in Cleveland for a charity event he hosted around Christmas.
“Watson was cleared to be on the sidelines because he was more than a month out from surgery. He was there with Chubb, Grant Delpit and other injured Browns,” Cabot wrote. “He’s headed back to L.A. to continue rehabbing with his surgeon’s medical team, but will likely rejoin the team for the playoffs.”
Watson was shown several times on the broadcast supporting his teammates as they locked up a playoff spot. That included a big chest bump with Joe Flacco after he connected with Jerome Ford on a highlight reel 50-yard touchdown pass.
“I’m always excited to be around my brothers and my teammates and see those guys work and I’m going to be right there with ’em and supporting ’em and just keep pushing forward,” Watson told News 5 Cleveland on December 23. “It’s always tough just to be away from the teammates and just the game of football. You work so hard to be a part of it. But at the same time, injuries happen and you just got to be able to deal with the outcome that comes with it. But I’m very supportive, and the guys got to keep rolling because they’re on fire right now.”
Deshaun Watson Happy for Browns QB Joe Flacco
Watson has been fairly quiet since being sidelined but he recently gave a brief statement on Flacco, who has excelled as his replacement.
“He’s been great,” Watson told cleveland.com Tuesday, December 26. “He’s a veteran.”
Flacco has become a sensation during his short time with the Browns. He’s 4-1 as the starter and has passed for over 300 yards in four consecutive games. It’s a feat no other Browns quarterback has accomplished. Flacco’s latest accomplishment was helping the Browns lock up a playoff spot for just the third time since 1999.
Flacco’s strong play has generated some scuttlebutt about Watson’s future in Cleveland. However, the Browns are locked in on Watson as their franchise quarterback going forward. He signed a $230 million deal with Cleveland upon his arrival via trade in 2022.
Watson is expected to be ready to roll for the start of training camp next season.
The Browns have dealt with all kinds of injuries this season. One of the latest was to backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury on December 26.
