The Cleveland Browns have officially named Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback for the regular-season opener, according to a team announcement. Head coach Todd Monken selected Watson over Shedeur Sanders, concluding a training camp competition that involved splitting first-team repetitions between both quarterbacks.
Deshaun Watson Named Browns Starting Quarterback
Watson will lead the offense when the Browns visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13 according to the Cleveland Browns. Sanders will begin the season serving in backup duties as announced by the NFL. Monken stated that neither Watson nor Sanders will play in the team’s final preseason game against New England.
Evaluation and Preseason Context
Throughout the offseason program and training camp, the Browns rotated first-team reps between Watson and Sanders while evaluating both signal-callers in practices and preseason matchups. Monken explained the decision-making process by pointing to the evaluation of the entire offseason up to the joint practices and games.
Took in the full body of work over the course of offseason to training camp to the games and the joint practice, and ultimately, felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points,
Monken said. The head coach added that while Sanders has closed the gap and shown significant progress, the coaching staff ultimately decided that Watson was further ahead heading into Week 1. Monken also clarified that the choice is not intended to be a week-by-week arrangement.
Watson’s Return and Roster Outlook
Watson returns to the starting lineup after missing the final 10 games of the 2024 season and the entire 2025 campaign while recovering from Achilles injuries. During his time on the field in Cleveland’s second exhibition game—his first home appearance since his 2024 Achilles tear—Watson was booed by portions of the home crowd.
Following that game, Watson addressed the reception publicly, noting the personal nature of the fan response. However, Monken maintained that Watson’s post-game remarks and fan sentiment did not factor into the coaching staff’s ultimate decision at quarterback. Watson is currently playing in the final year of the fully guaranteed five-year contract he signed with the franchise in 2022.
Fan Reception and Immediate Schedule
The decision to start Watson drew varied reactions from supporters. While some observers pointed out the logic of starting the more experienced quarterback as Cleveland opens the year with back-to-back road games against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, other longtime fans expressed frustration and anger over the choice given Watson’s limited availability and performance across his 19 total games played for the franchise.
Sanders, who made seven starts after taking over quarterback duties midway through last season, will handle the backup role as the team prepares for the regular-season schedule reported by Cleveland.com. Watson expressed excitement about earning the starting nod after two years of rehabilitation and preparation, emphasizing the ongoing work required to meet the challenges of the upcoming season.
