Deshaun Watson booed by Browns fans, fires back after poor outing opens door for Shedeur Sanders

Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns fan base weren’t shy about showing their disdain for each other Saturday, even as the quarterback is locked in a competition with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job.

So Watson is effectively fighting a two-front war now.

Browns fans don't like that Watson has delivered only 19 touchdown passes in 19 games during his $230 million contract.

They don't like that his time with the team has been punctuated by a suspension, a season-ending shoulder injury, a season-ending Achilles injury and another Achilles injury that kept him out all of last season.

DESHAUN WATSON'S FIRST GAME SINCE 2024 A SUCCESS BECAUSE HE WASN'T AS BAD AS SHEDEUR SANDERS OR DILLON GABRIEL Watson is not their guy even though he's on their team.

And in Watson's first game at Huntington Bank Field since 2024, he heard it from the fans as they booed him lustily.

"It sucks," coach Todd Monken said of the fan reaction.

Watson, meanwhile, made it clear that if Browns fans don't like him, the feeling is mutual.

"It's a disrespectful thing," Watson said of the fan reaction.

"So, yeah, I mean, I'm going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that.

"Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles.

And that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt.

So what does that have to do with anything about performance when a person gets hurt, especially for your own city? "And they cheer." DESHAUN WATSON HARBORS NO ILL WILL TOWARD CLEVELAND AFTER COLLECTING $184M FOR 19 TDS IN FOUR SEASONS Watson said he's tried to earn the love of the Browns fans.

He thought being effectively away with injuries, doing charity work in town and working hard to get back on the field would endear him to the fans.