The former Clemson star and current Cleveland Browns quarterback spoke bluntly when addressing his critics, and blasted fans and people in the media who have been critical of him.
Watson made it clear he doesn’t care a bit about the opinions of others or those who doubt he can play at the same level he did as a three-time Pro Bowler in Houston.
“I don’t live for other people’s expectations. I could really care less about what anybody else has to say. None of that (expletive) really matters to me. Even if I got love for you, respectfully, but disrespectfully, I don’t give two (expletive) about what you think. I got my own expectations. I know my expectation. My expectation is to be a world champion one day.”
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has high expectations for Watson, with Stefanski saying recently he wants to see the “best version of Deshaun” this season, and Watson clearly has high expectations for himself as well.
Watson is entering his third season with the Browns in 2024, coming off a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023.
The Browns are hoping for a bounceback year from Watson, who has only played in 12 total games over the past two seasons since being traded to Cleveland from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and signing a new fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns.
Watson served an 11-game suspension to begin 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. In 2023, he went 5-1 as Cleveland’s starter before undergoing shoulder surgery following the Browns’ Week 10 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Prior to his season being cut short by injury, Watson completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns with four interceptions across six games.
Watson has passed for 16,756 yards and 118 touchdowns with 45 interceptions in 66 career games with the Browns and Texans since being taken by Houston in the first round (12th overall) of the 2017 draft.
