It’s only been one week of the Cleveland Browns returning Deshaun Watson to the starting quarterback’s role over Shedeur Sanders here in the 2026 NFL season, and already, it has appeared to be a disaster. Not only were the Browns blown off the field in Jacksonville on Sunday in a 34-10 loss that probably was not ever as close as that, but Watson again proved he can’t get out of his own way when he said in a press conference that the blame for him failing to meet expectations lies with the media.
Even without that, Watson just might not be good enough to still be on an NFL field after two Achilles tendon surgeries. And while he is a veteran and coaches seem to trust him more, he is also 30 and just does not have the upside of Sanders, who is 24 and showed some promise–along with obvious flaws–in seven starts in 2025.
Mike Golic: Players Likely Want Shedeur Sanders
For former NFL star and local Cleveland legend Mike Golic, the decision to stick with Watson despite the fact that he did not play very well in the preseason and that he is a lame-duck quarterback–he is in the final year of his disastrous $230 million contract–has got to be as baffling to the players as the fans. It’s easy for media members to pontificate about the uselessness of continuing with Watson but Golic was in an NFL locker room for eight seasons.
He told 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland: “You’d obviously have to ask them, and I am sure reporters will do that, in a way. I’m sure the players are thinking, ‘This guy is not going to be our quarterback. He is not going to be the quarterback of the future. If there is a possibility of the quarterback of the future on this team, it is Shedeur Sanders, and we’re not even sure about that. But let’s see what he can do.'”
Browns Coach Todd Monken Questioned
While there has been much speculation about which level of the Browns organization the decision to start Watson came from–many suggest it is owner Jimmy Haslam–Golic said it ultimately falls on coach Todd Monken.
“Quite honestly, I’m not sure about the decision Todd Monken made,” Golic said. “Between injury and not playing anywhere near the way he played when he was with Houston, I don’t understand why he’s on the field. I don’t understand what the upside is. You can’t tell me that he played that much better than Shedeur Sanders to not get a look at Shedeur Sanders.”
Watson will start at least one more game, in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.
Browns Players Want to See ‘What Shedeur Sanders Can Do’