Todd Monken takes the bullet for Deshaun Watson after disastrous Week 1 collapse

Deshaun Watson returned as the Cleveland Browns ’ starting quarterback after 693 days, but his long-awaited comeback was far from what the franchise hoped for, especially with the added pressure of having fan-favorite Shedeur Sanders waiting behind him.

The veteran delivered a quiet performance in the 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars , a result that will only intensify the debate over whether Watson or Shedeur Sanders should be leading the offense.

On Cleveland’s opening drive, Watson threw an interception, and although his final statistics were respectable, his performance raised plenty of questions about an offense that was unable to compete with Jacksonville.

Despite the criticism, head coach Todd Monken defended the 30-year-old quarterback and urged people not to make quick judgments after just one game.

“So we're going to analyze everything of how we do it, how we coached, starting with me, how we do it offensively, defensively, and Deshaun is a part of that. Always has been, always will be…and then we'll assess it and go forward,” Monken said.

“And until I really get a chance to watch it and really drill down, it's unfair for me to really comment on any one given player because it's never as bad as you think,” Monken continued. “And it's usually never as good as you think.”

The coach also emphasized that it would be unfair to place the entire blame for the loss on Watson alone.

“Until I really get a chance to watch the game and break it down, it’s unfair for me to comment on one individual player because it’s never as bad as you think. And it’s usually never as good as you think,” Monken added.

In his first regular-season game since 2024 , Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards , with one touchdown and one interception. However, the result and the lack of explosiveness from the Browns’ offense increased questions about whether he remains the best option to lead Cleveland moving forward.

Monken was also asked whether Watson would remain the starter for Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Although he did not confirm his decision, he made it clear that he would not give up on any of his players and that the team would evaluate every possibility.

“I'm not giving up all of our players. So he happens to be one of 53,” Monken said, via Kay Cabot. “So we'll evaluate everything. But to just say that emotionally here at the end when…he just didn't play good enough, and we didn't coach well enough.”

Now, Cleveland must decide whether to continue trusting Watson or begin considering a change with Shedeur Sanders waiting for his opportunity. The pressure on the veteran quarterback is only beginning.