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Browns Believe Deshaun Watson Suffered Torn Achilles

Watson went down with a non-contact injury late in the first half of Cleveland's loss to Cincinnati.

Liam McKeone

Watson went down late in the first half against the Bengals
Watson went down late in the first half against the Bengals / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Deshaun Watson went down with a non-contact leg injury late in the first half of the Cleveland Browns' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It looked bad in the moment and Watson's tears as he was carted off did not inspire positive thoughts. After the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed the team believes the worst-case scenario has come to fruition.

Speaking to reporters, Stefanski said the Browns believe Watson has suffered a season-ending torn Achilles. He'll undergo tests to confirm the diagnosis but Stefanski told reporters "that's what it looks like."

Watson was replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson against Cincy, who managed to lead the Browns to one touchdown before he himself got hurt and was replaced by Jameis Winston. Cleveland ultimately lost, 21–14.

With the Browns at 1-6, it seems like the season is over already. Stefanski will have to choose between Winston and DTR to be the starter going forward; Watson's crazy contract will likely prevent the franchise from trying to trade for a QB and sinking more financial resources into the position.

If that's it for Watson in 2024, he put forth an incredibly disappointing campaign. The former Pro Bowl quarterback recorded 1,148 yards on the year with five touchdown passes and three interceptions as the Browns lost four of the five games he completed.

The franchise must now move forward without their $230 million quarterback.

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Liam McKeone
LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.

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