Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 24

Chad Johnson Urges Deshaun Watson to Ignore Boos After 36-Yard Browns Preseason Struggle

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 24

Chad Johnson Urges Deshaun Watson to Ignore Boos After 36-Yard Browns Preseason Struggle

Q: Are Cleveland fans booing Watson's poor stats, or is their anger fueled by a much deeper resentment?

It is both, but the anger clearly runs deeper than one bad stat line. Watson was booed in the Bills preseason game because he played poorly: 5-for-12, 36 yards and an interception. In that immediate sense, Chad Johnson and coach Todd Monken are right that quarterbacks get booed when the offense looks bad, especially after a 5-12 season and with the Browns still unsettled at quarterback. But the broader reaction to Watson cannot be explained by performance alone. His relationship with Browns fans has been damaged by several overlapping factors: the sexual misconduct allegations that followed him from Houston and led to an 11-game NFL suspension in 2022, Cleveland’s enormous investment of three first-round picks and a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, and the lack of return on that deal because of injuries, absences and inconsistent play. Since arriving, he has started only 19 games and has not delivered the franchise-changing results the Browns expected. That helps explain why Watson says the boos feel personal, and why many observers believe he has a point. Fans also cheered when he tore his Achilles in 2024, which strongly suggests some resentment goes beyond football disappointment. So the boos are partly about his poor production in the moment, but the hostility is rooted in a much larger backlash: his off-field baggage, the contract, the trade cost, and years of frustration over what Cleveland gave up versus what it got back.

Q: Will a $230 million guaranteed contract stop the Browns from benching Deshaun Watson for Shedeur Sanders?

No. The $230 million guarantee does not prevent Cleveland from benching Deshaun Watson for Shedeur Sanders. What the guarantee changes is money, not lineup control. Watson is owed his pay regardless of whether he starts, backs up, or is inactive. Reports on the current structure say Cleveland reworked the deal so the Browns changed the cap timing, but not the amount Watson will collect. That means benching him would not create savings, but it also would not trigger some new financial penalty that forces him onto the field. The real pressure point is football. Browns coaches have said the quarterback decision will be based on performance, and Watson’s recent preseason showing — 5 of 12 for 36 yards and an interception against Buffalo — only increased scrutiny. Sanders, meanwhile, has kept the competition alive with solid preseason work. Todd Monken has also indicated fan reaction will not decide the job. The contract still matters indirectly. Cleveland gave up three first-round picks and guaranteed Watson the full deal, so the organization has every incentive to see if it can salvage value from that investment. Teams often give highly paid veterans every chance to reclaim the job before turning to a younger option. But if Watson struggles and Sanders looks better, the Browns can bench Watson. At that point, sunk cost becomes secondary to evaluating whether Sanders is a better answer for 2026 and beyond.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 24

Watson drew loud boos in Cleveland after completing 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception in a preseason loss to Buffalo.
Johnson said the answer is not to fight the crowd but to play better, arguing boos are routine for struggling quarterbacks and citing Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold as examples.
Watson called the reaction disrespectful and personal, saying it went beyond his on-field performance and recalling some fans' response when he tore his Achilles in 2024.
The pressure on Watson extends beyond one preseason game: injuries, missed time and his fully guaranteed contract still hang over a Browns team that went 5-12 last season.