Deshaun Watson in 2018. Photo by Keith Allison, resized.Deshaun Watson and the Browns' 5-2 start: five wins, five fourth-quarter winning drives
The Browns' stadium in Cleveland, now Huntington Bank Field, in 2016. Photo by JonRidinger, resized.Three first-round picks and two torn Achilles
In March 2022 the Browns sent three first-round picks to Houston for Watson and gave him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. Suspension and injuries held him to 19 games for Cleveland over the next three seasons.
On Oct. 20, 2024, he ruptured his right Achilles at home against Cincinnati. He tore it again in January 2025, needed a second surgery and missed the whole 2025 season.
- Trade with Houston and the $230 million deal.
- Right Achilles ruptures against the Bengals.
- Re-tears the same Achilles; second surgery.
- Does not play.
Shedeur Sanders at Browns training camp, July 2025. Photo by Erik Drost, resized.Winning the job back
First-year head coach Todd Monken ran a camp competition between Watson and second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Two days after Watson was booed at home in a 31-7 preseason loss to Buffalo, Monken named him the Week 1 starter and said it was not a week-to-week decision.
“This is what I've been working for for two years, to show that I'm capable of being the starter for one of the 32 organizations in this league.”— Deshaun Watson, on being named the starter
The opener went badly. Watson threw an interception early, and Jacksonville led 31-0 in the third quarter on the way to a 34-10 win. His one touchdown pass, 46 yards to rookie Denzel Boston, came with 1:52 left.
Five finishes
Since Week 1, every Cleveland game has been decided by five points or fewer. The Browns have won all five of their games on a fourth-quarter drive led by Watson, and lost the one in which they gave a late lead back.
- Down 19-16 with 9:58 left. A 12-play, 68-yard drive takes 6:07 and ends with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Blake Whiteheart with 3:51 to go. It is Watson's first win as a starter since Sept. 15, 2024.
- Down 18-13 with 4:25 left. An interception is wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty, and Watson hits Harold Fannin Jr. from 14 yards with 1:48 left, then throws the two-point conversion to Denzel Boston.
- Aaron Rodgers ties it 24-24 with 1:42 left. Seven plays and 36 yards later, Szmyt makes a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.
- A 29-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston puts Cleveland up 12-10 with 6:15 left, but the extra point fails and Braelon Allen's 22-yard run wins it for New York.
- Down 10-0 after one quarter, tied with 8:33 left. Watson's 33-yard throw to Jerry Jeudy sets up a 42-yard try that is blocked with two seconds left, but Baltimore was offside. Szmyt makes the 37-yard re-kick as time expires.
- Down 14-0 early. Watson's 9-yard touchdown run makes it 24-17 with 4:34 left, Tony Pollard ties it with 58 seconds left, and three Watson passes, including a 36-yard catch-and-run by Fannin, set up Szmyt's 32-yarder on the final snap.
Final margin, Weeks 2 to 7 (Browns' view)
Todd Monken speaks to reporters on Oct. 26, 2026. Image: Cleveland Browns / YouTube video still.Slow starts, loud finishes
The pattern shows up quarter by quarter in the official play-by-play. Cleveland has been outscored 58-13 in first quarters and has outscored opponents 57-46 in fourth quarters.
Browns points by quarter, seven games
Opponents' points by quarter, seven games
“That's really more of a narrative than what we talk about here, other than, I mean, the flip side is we haven't started very fast.”— Todd Monken, on the late wins, Oct. 26, 2026
“We at least scored a touchdown in the first quarter, for God's sakes. So we're taking baby steps.”— Todd Monken, after Tennessee
Quinshon Judkins at Browns training camp, Aug. 8, 2026. Photo by Erik Drost, resized.The season so far
Watson's passing yards, game by game
The 308 yards in Tennessee, on 25-of-36 passing, were his first 300-yard game for Cleveland. Rookie KC Concepcion caught eight passes for 129 yards that day, and Quinshon Judkins ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns in a 491-yard game for the offense.
Afterwards Monken gave Watson a game ball. A week earlier, after the Baltimore win, Watson had hosted his teammates at his house for cards, ping-pong and food trucks in the driveway.
“We're one big family.”— Deshaun Watson, to his teammates after the win in Tennessee
Watson at a Browns press conference in October 2026. Image: Cleveland Browns press conference video.First place, in Pittsburgh
Cleveland and Pittsburgh are both 5-2. The Browns lead the AFC North on the strength of the 27-24 win in Week 4, and the rematch is at Pittsburgh on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. ET.
This is also the last year of the contract Cleveland gave him in 2022.
“Me being my last year of my deal and Year 10, I feel like this is my opportunity to be able to go and showcase that I can still play in this league.”— Deshaun Watson, before Week 1
“You want it to be loud. Means the game matters.”— Todd Monken, on the trip to Pittsburgh
Seven games in, Watson has a 5-2 record, seven touchdown passes and five fourth-quarter winning drives. None of the five wins was by more than four points.
Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh is the first time this season the Browns go on the road with first place in the AFC North on the line.
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