The Cleveland Browns have continued to shock the NFL to begin the 2026 campaign. With a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, the Browns have pushed their record to 3-1. Pretty much every aspect of Cleveland’s hot start has been a surprise, but the play of Deshaun Watson under center takes the cake.
Watson continued doing just enough to lead his team to victory, as he led a late game-winning field goal drive at the end of the fourth quarter to ensure that the Browns would come out on top. Considering all that has gone wrong for him on and off the field in recent years, it’s safe to say nobody expected this sudden turnaround from him, but now that he’s gotten himself back on track, it sounds like he has big expectations for the rest of the season.
Deshaun Watson Puts NFL on Notice With Strong Message
Watson’s fall from grace over the past five-plus years has been well-documented. Off the field, he faced a bevy of sexual assault accusations that resulted in him earning an 11-game suspension for the 2022 campaign. Even when he’s been on the field during his time with Cleveland, though, Watson has either been injured or looked like a shell of himself under center.
At the peak of his powers, Watson was one of the best quarterbacks in the league. In the 2020 campaign with the Houston Texans, Watson led the league with 4,823 passing yards, while also throwing for a career-high 33 touchdowns. He could also make plays on the ground with his legs, as Watson picked up 444 yards and three more scores as a runner.
With the Browns, Watson has never come close to looking like that player. However, his play through four games is easily the best football we’ve seen from him in years, as he’s racked up 855 passing yards and six touchdowns to this point. More importantly, though, is the fact that Cleveland is winning football games, and according to Watson, he believes he is only just finding his footing again.
“I’m just playing like me,” Watson said in a postgame interview with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “Whatever people’s perspective is, that’s on them. But for me, I’m just getting back in my groove.”
Deshaun Watson, Browns Emerging as Real Threat in AFC North Division
With everything that has gone wrong for Watson, nobody really had any expectations for him entering the year. And yet, after a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season opener, Watson has the Browns’ offense looking dangerous. If they can keep this up, an already competitive AFC North division will become even more challenging for the four teams that make it up.
Watson isn’t necessarily out of the doghouse yet (and when taking into account his off-field actions, he likely never will be), but from a football perspective at least, this is the best he has looked in years, and Cleveland has some real momentum working in its favor. The Browns will enjoy a couple of extra days off before turning their attention towards their Week 5 clash against the New York Jets.
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