Todd Monken’s cryptic Deshaun Watson comments leave Browns fans demanding answers
The Browns are hours away from naming their starting quarterback.
The Cleveland Browns will know in the coming hours who their starting quarterback will be for the beginning of the season. Head coach Todd Monken said he will make a decision early this week after evaluating the performances of Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders throughout the preseason.
Both quarterbacks have provided enough on-field evidence for the coaching staff to make a decision, although their performances in the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills could have been a determining factor in the competition.
Sanders had a positive showing, throwing a touchdown pass, while Watson did not have his best outing. His performance drew boos from fans at the stadium, and after the game, the veteran quarterback called the reaction disrespectful.
A day later, Monken was asked about Watson’s comments and confirmed that he had a conversation with the quarterback .
“I’ll keep those conversations private, but I think Deshaun spoke from the heart. We all want to play well as a team and individually. There’s no question we’re all frustrated. I certainly could’ve coached better and we could’ve played better,” Monken said via Zoom.
The coach also insisted that Watson’s comments will not influence his final decision on who will be the starter.
“Browns coach Todd Monken on Deshaun Watson’s postgame comments: The moment got to him. He emptied his heart a little bit. I don’t think that says who he is.”
Watson had an emotional moment after the game when he recalled the serious Achilles injury he suffered at the same stadium, when some fans celebrated the incident.
“It has nothing to do with the performance. It’s a little bit [more] personal than that. It’s a disrespectful thing. The last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fan base cheered when I got hurt,” Watson said after the game.
Despite the controversy, Monken made it clear that the decision will be based solely on football performance. The Browns must choose between Watson’s experience and the potential of rookie Shedeur Sanders to lead an offense looking for stability at the most important position on the team.
