QB Watson: Early exit in return ‘disappointing’

INDIANAPOLIS — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said he’s “not sure” if he reinjured his throwing shoulder after leaving Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. He also said he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to start next weekend against the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s very disappointing,” Watson said. “Just right back to the drawing board. It’s part of the game, I guess. You just have to deal with the adversity. But I’m going to keep my head held high, keep grinding and training and be there for my teammates.”

Watson had missed Cleveland’s previous two games with a rotator cuff strain in his right, throwing shoulder. In his first start back, Watson exited Sunday’s game in the first quarter after taking a hit from Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.

Watson cleared concussion protocol, but coach Kevin Stefanski elected to go with backup quarterback PJ Walker the rest of the way.

For the second straight week, Walker led the Browns on a game-winning scoring drive, as Cleveland (4-2) came back to defeat the Colts 39-38.

“I just did not want to put [Watson] back out there,” Stefanski said. “I wanted to protect our franchise quarterback. That was my decision.”

Watson had completed only 1 of 5 passes for five yards with an interception when he left.

Walker completed 15-of-32 passes for 178 yards and an interception, yet led the Browns on the 12-play, 80-yard drive, which was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt with 15 seconds remaining.

“They felt like the decision was best to let PJ go in and finish the game,” Watson said. “PJ did a great job.”

Stefanski said that Watson is “our starter moving forward,” including in Seattle if “he’s ready to roll.” Watson, however, said he didn’t know if he would be able to practice this upcoming week.

The Browns sent three first-round picks to the Houston Texans in 2022 to get Watson, then signed him to a new five-year contract worth an NFL record $230 million fully guaranteed.

Watson, however, has played in only nine full games for the Browns. He served an 11-game suspension last year for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after he was accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage sessions.

Until Thursday of last week, Watson had not had a full practice since Sept. 22. Watson had said that he had trouble driving the ball downfield due to the shoulder injury. But Stefanski said after Friday’s practice that Watson looked like himself again.

After Watson exited Sunday’s game, the Browns didn’t give him an injury designation and only announced that he had cleared the concussion protocol.

Stefanski also said that Watson would’ve gone back into the game had Walker been injured; the Browns didn’t have another quarterback dressed.

“Whenever I step on the field, I don’t want to have any pain holding me back and be handicapped,” Watson said. “We had a great week of preparation and we felt that it was the best opportunity for me to come back this week. I just wasn’t able to finish the game.”