The track record of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suggested it was only a matter of time before he would offer a response via social media after Browns owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged on Monday that the franchise "took a big swing and miss" by acquiring Watson and giving him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract in March 2022.
Per Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Watson seemed to do just that when he shared 20 photos of himself on Instagram working out at the Browns' facility amid his ongoing injury recovery.
"Maybe, if I weren’t built for this, I’d let it phase me," Watson captioned his post.
Watson's agent, David Mulugheta, added the following in the comments section: "They hate you, then they love you then they hate you again. That’s why you never live for the applause. Lock in 4!"
Pockets of Browns fans loudly cheered when Watson suffered a torn Achilles during a home game on Oct. 20 of last year. Watson later tore the Achilles again while rehabbing, and Haslam's comments indicated that the 29-year-old has taken his last meaningful in-game snap for the organization.
Thanks to an insurance policy, the Browns may be able to escape Watson's contract in 2026.
Numerous Browns supporters and season-ticket holders rejected Watson back in the spring of 2022 because of the allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions that hovered over him at that time. While two grand juries declined to pursue criminal charges against him, he ultimately served an 11-game suspension in his first season with Cleveland.
A shoulder injury prematurely ended Watson's 2023 campaign, and he played poorly this past season before his latest setback. Per Pro Football Reference and ESPN, his 23.4 adjusted QBR would've been good for last in the league had he finished the 2024 regular season among qualified players.
The Browns are now moving forward with former Pittsburgh Steelers flop Kenny Pickett as their temporary starter, and they are expected to target a quarterback such as Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, Alabama's Jalen Milroe or Louisville's Tyler Shough during the upcoming draft.
At this point, it feels like things between Watson and the Browns will only get uglier before an inevitable divorce is finalized as soon as next offseason.
