Deshaun Watson needed less than two quarters of the Cleveland Browns’ season opener to face renewed calls for Shedeur Sanders to take his job.
A mistake-filled start against the Jacksonville Jaguars sent frustrated fans to social media Sunday, questioning the Browns’ decision to start Watson over their second-year quarterback. Cleveland fell behind 24-0 before halftime, turning a chance for Watson to rebuild confidence into another round of debate about his future.
Watson threw an interception on Cleveland’s opening possession and later fumbled while taking a sack, although he recovered it. He had another pass that was nearly picked off on a third down. With the offense struggling to respond, some fans had already seen enough.
“Folks were on this app legitimately saying Deshaun Watson deserved to start over Shedeur sanders lmao,” one fan wrote on X.
Another challenged those who had backed Watson during the summer quarterback competition.
“We need all of the Deshaun Watson is better than Sheduer Sanders crowd to please stand up. 24-0 and its not even halftime,” the fan posted.
Others predicted that Watson’s hold on the starting job would be shorter than they initially expected.
“My bad for thinking Deshaun Watson was going to keep his job as QB1 as long as he didn’t get injured. The good days for him as a QB seem to be over. Shedeur Sanders will be in soon,” another fan wrote.
Deshaun Watson Struggles as Browns Fall Behind Early
Cleveland’s first possession offered some encouragement before Watson’s interception wiped it away. Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun picked off the pass, and Jacksonville turned the takeaway into a touchdown.
Watson’s fumble on a sack threatened to make matters worse. He recovered the ball, but the play added to an unsettled opening stretch for an offense trying to establish itself under new head coach Todd Monken.
Rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion also fumbled. The mistakes went beyond the quarterback, but Watson was the focus of fans who had questioned whether he should have won the starting job.
The Browns also dealt with an early injury to running back Dylan Sampson, who went to the locker room with a knee issue and was listed as questionable to return. Guard Zion Johnson briefly caused concern after going down, but he was able to continue playing.
Shedeur Sanders Is Next in Line Behind Deshaun Watson
Sanders was active as Cleveland’s backup against Jacksonville, making him the immediate option if Monken decided to change quarterbacks. Rookie Taylen Green was designated the inactive emergency third quarterback.
Sanders started seven games as a rookie, with Cleveland going 3-4 in those outings. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions across eight appearances.
Those numbers also show why a switch would come with its own questions. Sanders had turnover problems during his first season and still needed to improve his consistency. But for fans watching Cleveland stumble through the opening half, his upside was reason enough to want a change.
Patience with Watson was wearing thin long before Sunday. The Browns traded three first-round picks to acquire him in 2022 and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, only to get 19 starts and a 9-10 record through his first four seasons. Suspension, injuries and inconsistent play have defined his Cleveland tenure, including an Achilles injury that ultimately kept him out for all of 2025.
Now in the final year of that deal, Watson has little goodwill left to draw on when the offense struggles.
Deshaun Watson Faces Calls for Benching Before Halftime of Browns Opener