Shedeur Sanders came to Deshaun Watson’s defense after Cleveland Browns fans loudly booed the veteran quarterback during Saturday’s lopsided preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Sanders addressed the reaction during an in-game interview after playing the first half. He said he did not “like or respect” the reception Watson received when he entered in the third quarter. Sanders had a similar statement last season when Dillon Gabriel — who was starting at the time — drew a similar reaction.
“I don’t really like him not feeling comfortable, confident when he get out there,” Sanders said. “It puts everything in a tough spot, and it’s not helping the team.”
The boos grew louder after Watson stumbled through his opening series. He completed one of his first four attempts for minus-1 yard. Watson later threw an interception and had two misses during early action in the fourth quarter.
Watson had dismissed concerns about his reception before making his first appearance at Huntington Bank Field since tearing his Achilles in October 2024.
“I don’t care. I don’t care,” Watson said when asked how he expected fans to react.
Watson has acknowledged he cannot control whether fans support him following his disappointing and injury-plagued years in Cleveland.
“At the end of the day, I can’t control who people support,” Watson said in June. “Those are their own opinions. All I can do is be the best person I can be and showcase who I am as a person, player and teammate, and what I represent as an individual. Outside of that, I can’t focus on what the outside is saying.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Has Solid Outing vs. Bills
Sanders produced the better statistical performance against Buffalo. He completed 9 of 11 passes for 74 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his half of play. He led Cleveland on an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, finishing it with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Luke Floriea.
The Browns struggled to build on that drive. Sanders’ only mistake came in the second quarter when Damar Hamlin intercepted a pass intended for Jermaine Terry. The slightly inaccurate ball deflected off Terry’s hands.
Watson entered after halftime and completed 5 of 12 passes for 35 yards with an interception, finishing with a 14.6 passer rating. His best throw was a 20-yard completion to Malachi Corley. But his pass intended for Gage Larvadain later landed in the hands of Bills cornerback Te’Cory Couch.
Watson and Sanders have now each started one preseason game. Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in the opener against the Chicago Bears but lost a fumble. Sanders completed 6 of 11 attempts for 79 yards with an interception in that matchup.
Browns Deliver Another Ugly Preseason Performance
GettyHead coach Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns looks on prior to a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
The quarterback competition overshadowed another performance bordering on embarrassing for the Browns as a team. Cleveland followed its 34-10 loss to Chicago with a 31-7 defeat at home. The Browns have been outscored 65-17 through two preseason games.
The Browns finished with only 193 total yards against Buffalo and committed nine penalties for 73 yards. Their defense surrendered 368 yards despite the Bills sitting Josh Allen and several other established starters.
The Browns’ lack of discipline was encapsulated by Dillon Gabriel’s first possession in the fourth quarter. Cleveland committed three false-start penalties on the drive, repeatedly moving backward before the offense had a chance to operate.
Cleveland rested many of its veteran starters after Thursday’s joint practice, but the penalties, turnovers and breakdowns represented significant issues regardless of who was on the field.
The Browns will get one final preseason opportunity against the New England Patriots on August 27 before opening the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Delivers Strong Message on Deshaun Watson