Could Deshaun Watson Be On Browns Sideline For Thursday Night Football?

While Browns star QB Deshaun Watson has been away from the team rehabbing from shoulder surgery out in Los Angeles, there's a chance he'll be in attendance for Browns final home game of the season

It's been five weeks since Deshaun Watson last suited up under center for the Browns.

Since being ruled out for the season with a fractured glenoid in his throwing shoulder and having surgery to repair the injury, Watson has remained in Los Angeles where he had the surgery to rehab. The only time he's been in the same proximity of his team was during the Browns Week 14 matchup with the Rams, where the broadcast made sure to continually show him sitting comfortably in a Sofi Stadium suite.

It was a move that caught the ire of some within the fan base, which questioned why he wasn't on the sideline with the rest of his teammates? 

Behind the scenes though, as Kevin Stefanski shared on Friday, Watson has remained actively involved with the team. 

Watson will make his first appearance in Cleveland since the surgery this weekend as he returns to town for a charity event on Saturday. He's also expected to stick around in the days afterward as the Browns prepare for a Thursday night matchup with the Jets. 

“Yeah, I staying in touch with him all week," Stefanski said. "Excited that he’s going to be back in the building next week with us. He’s living and dying from LA, watching us play, but he’s supporting his teammates every day. So [it will] be good to have him back in person.”

Watson last played in a Week 11 with over the Ravens on the road, as he was the architect of a ferocious second-half comeback that saw him go a perfect 14-of-14 for 134 yards and a touchdown. It was believed to be a turning the corner moment for the 28-year-old at the time. 

Then his season came to a screeching hault when it was announced he'd need surgery to repair a fracture in his throwing shoulder. 

Now it's 16-year veteran Joe Flacco leading the team at quarterback. And he's got it in the brink of a playoff berth. 

There are eight scenarios that could officially net the Browns a spot in the tournament this weekend. They all start with a win over the Texans. 

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If it doesn't happen this weekend though, Thursday Night's matchup with the Jets could become the postseason clincher for Cleveland, and Watson could be there to see it live and in person. 

As for whether or not Watson would be joining the team on the sidelines for that game, Stefanski said, "we'll see."