Browns QB Watson 'ready for support' in first home game since boos

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  Daniel OyefusiSep 23, 2026, 12:36 PM ET

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  Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.

BEREA, Ohio -- Deshaun Watson said Wednesday he doesn't know if Browns fans will support him more after Cleveland 's Week 2 upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he's "ready for support" in his first home game since he was booed in the preseason.

The last time Watson played at Huntington Bank Field, he struggled in the second half of the Browns' second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22 and drew loud boos. It was Watson's first home game since tearing his Achilles in October 2024.

After the game, Watson said the reaction was "personal" and "disrespectful." Days later, Watson said his "emotions got the best of me."

"The biggest thing, I don't [ever] try to go at war with the fans," Watson said Wednesday. "So, I think the biggest thing is [I'm] just ready for support, ready to feel their energy, ready to get this big [win] for the city of Cleveland and continue this great feeling that we have this week."

Suspension and injuries have limited Watson to just 21 games since the Browns traded three first-round picks and gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in March 2022. Since then, Watson has a QBR (34.8) that ranks 49th among 51 quarterbacks with at least 15 starts.

After struggling in a Week 1 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Watson had arguably his best game as a Brown in Cleveland's upset road win over the Buccaneers. Watson completed 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score. He also led the Browns with 22 rushing yards.

Browns coach Todd Monken said he expects Watson, 31, to keep building confidence and improve as he continues to play for the first time since the Achilles injury that sidelined him for all of the 2025 season.

"I'm happy for Deshaun, the way he's played, and I expect improvement, and I expect continued improvement," Monken said Monday. "There's a lot of football left in him; he just hasn't played in a while. And learning our system and trying to get him consistent with his drops and his reads is part of the process. He's like every player. I see him as a young player. I know people don't want to see it that way, and I haven't been here, but I see him as still a very young player that is going to continue to grow."