Getty Images Browns QB Deshaun Watson feels like his team's rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers is one of the best in all of sports.
Deshaun Watson views the matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers as one of the top sports rivalries.
Watson has spent the last two seasons with the Browns and has seen enough to understand the disdain between the AFC North rivals. Cleveland’s QB expressed his opinion on the most recent edition of his “QB Unplugged” podcast.
“Cleveland-Pittsburgh, for sure,” Watson said. “It’s even bigger than Cincinnati. It’s not Baltimore. Baltimore is up there, but it ain’t as real as Pittsburgh.”
The other rivalries that made Watson’s top four included Duke vs. North Carolina (college basketball), Georgia vs. Florida (college football), and Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (soccer).
The Browns and Steelers first met in 1950, a game the Browns took 30-17. The sides have met 145 times since then. As division foes, they’ll face off twice next season, although they’ll have to wait until later in the season. The Browns will host the Steelers in Week 12 and run it back for Week 14 in Pittsburgh.
Deshaun Watson’s Rivalry Take Questioned
Not everyone was a fan of Watson’s assessment of the rivalry between the Steelers and Browns. While it’s certainly a big game, the most common argument was that it’s been one-sided recently.
The Steelers lead the all-time series 81-63-1. That includes a 20-year stretch from 2000-2020 where Pittsburgh dominated, winning 36 times against Cleveland with just five losses.
Watson personally has a 0-3 record against the Steelers, losing twice as a member of the Browns.
“Well that’s false. Can’t have a rivalry when one team dominated the other over a long period,” one fan tweeted. “The Browns are a poverty franchise. It’s the Steelers and Ravens all the way.”
Other Pittsburgh fans chimed in with similar takes.
“Browns are the annoying little brother that wants to be relevant. We are for sure their biggest rival but they ain’t ours,” another tweet read.
Recent history has been skewed heavily in the Steelers’ favor. However, the Browns own the most significant win over the last few seasons. Cleveland dominated Pittsburgh 48-37 in a Wild Card game back in 2021. The Browns racked up a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to victory, ending Pittsburgh’s season.
The Ravens are the favorite to win the AFC North next season, coming in at +140. The Bengals are next at +170, followed by the Browns (+500) and Steelers (+650).
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Has Respect for Steelers
Watson may view the Steelers as a top rival but has also expressed that he has respect for their organization. He praised the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin shortly after they signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.
“Pittsburgh is a good organization. It’s crazy for me to say it because I’m a Brown. I’m just keeping it 100,” Watson said in March. “At the end of the day, you have to give respect where respect is due. Tomlin is going to have them boys right. It made sense for [Wilson] to go there. They are going to compete.”
Watson is looking to complete his first full season in Cleveland. He’s been limited to six games in each of his first two seasons with the Browns. Watson is coming off shoulder surgery but is expected to be ready to roll by Week 1.