Cleveland Browns fans certainly seem to know who they want to win the team’s ongoing quarterback competition.
Watson was booed every time he took the field during Saturday’s preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Stadium in Cleveland, Oh. The boos only got louder as Watson struggled throughout the game.
Deshaun Watson is 3-8 for 24 yards with 1 interception on his 1st-3 drives today. He's been booed each of the 3 times he's run onto the field today
— Nick Wilson (@NickWilsonSays) August 22, 2026
The situation did not improve as Watson struggled through the second half.
Notable how frequent boos from home crowd were for Deshaun Watson-led offense after each stalled drive today. Didn’t hear any in 1st half when Shedeur Sanders was in.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 22, 2026
Watson has chosen to block them out and says he doesn’t care. But will be something to manage when Watson plays.
Watson certainly did not play well enough to silence the critics. He was just 5/12 for 35 yards and an interception, and the Browns failed to score on any of his drives. In contrast, Shedeur Sanders went 9/11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Watson is so unpopular in Cleveland that fans cheered when he suffered a serious injury in 2024. His bloated contract combined with his consistently poor play since the Browns brought him in has alienated fans, who think they have seen more than enough of the 30-year-old.
Browns coach Todd Monken hopes to name a starting quarterback this week. Watson had been thought to be the favorite, but it remains to be seen if this performance and the reception to it will have an impact on that.
