Deshaun Watson’s wife had plenty to celebrate after the Cleveland Browns quarterback delivered his first victory as a starter since 2024.
Jilly Anais Watson shared a photo of the couple kissing on the field at Raymond James Stadium following Cleveland’s 23-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She paired it with a seven-word message on her Instagram story.
“Going home with the winner! 4’s up!” she wrote.
She also joined other family members and friends to greet Watson after his postgame news conference, adding a personal celebration to an afternoon that could prove critical to his future as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Watson arrived in Tampa facing questions about whether he would keep his starting job. He left with a comeback victory over Baker Mayfield and a much stronger argument for another opportunity.
The Browns improved to 1-1 after their defense preserved the lead following a weather delay of more than two hours. For Watson and his family, the celebration had been a long time coming. Browns game coverage.
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Watson needed a performance that gave Cleveland a reason to stick with him. Before kickoff, Ian Rapoport reported the Browns planned to reassess their quarterbacks before Week 3.
He responded by completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Both scores came after halftime as Cleveland erased a 16-6 deficit.
Rookie Denzel Boston turned a short completion into a 55-yard touchdown. Watson later found tight end Blake Whiteheart for the decisive 17-yard score, finishing a 12-play, 68-yard drive with less than four minutes remaining. Browns statistical recap.
Todd Monken praised his quarterback afterward but declined to formally name his Week 3 starter.
“Really? Really?” Monken said. “I’m gonna enjoy this win and I thought he played his (expletive) off. I’m gonna leave it at that. I’m so happy for him.” Monken’s postgame news conference.
Given the pressure surrounding his job, Sunday belongs among Watson’s most important wins in a Browns uniform. Those afternoons have been scarce since Cleveland acquired him from the Houston Texans in 2022 and handed him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
Watson entered this season with just 19 appearances and a 9-10 record for Cleveland.
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Watson said he asked Monken at halftime to trust him with the ball and allow him to run the offense. He also emphasized his responsibility to execute the plays his coach called.
“Let him just scheme up, call the plays, and I’m gonna trust his mindset and let’s go execute,” Watson said.
Keeping the job long term will require more than one productive afternoon, particularly with Shedeur Sanders waiting for another opportunity.
If Watson gets the start against the Carolina Panthers, he will return to a home crowd that booed him during his last appearance there. He completed just five of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception against Buffalo in the preseason, then described the reaction as personal.
Sunday gave Watson a chance to rebuild some goodwill. Another efficient performance would do considerably more to strengthen his position than any response to the criticism. Cleveland hosts Carolina on September 27 before a quick turnaround against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 1.
Deshaun Watson’s Wife Sends 7-Word Message After Browns Win