Since Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken announced Deshaun Watson would be the team’s Week 1 starter, Cleveland fans have not taken the news well.
Several fans expressed their disappointment in the franchise by taping signs to the Jim Brown statue outside the stadium.
As a result, two-time Super Bowl champion James Harrison took to his podcast to share how outraged he was by fans defacing the legendary running back’s statue.
James Harrison Outraged By Browns Fans Defacing Jim Brown’s Statue
On his podcast, Deebo & Joe, Harrison, a Steelers legend and longtime rival of the Browns, called out Cleveland’s fans, asking them to leave Brown out of the Watson QB1 drama.
“I dislike Browns players, but Jim Brown is something different,” Harrison said. “You could have put that sign anywhere, man. Someone took multiple signs, put them on the Jim Brown statue outside the Brown Stadium in protest of the organization’s decision to start Deshaun Watson. Said 280 million, 27 plus victims, zero supporters.
“Another sign called Watson’s presence on the team ‘ permanent damage to the city and franchise.’ I know he wasn’t criminally charged because when you do the criminal charge, it’s beyond a reasonable doubt. So obviously there was doubt. That’s why he wasn’t charged with it.
“But that doesn’t matter. You put this on Jim Brown’s statue. The man who is the greatest running back and player for the Cleveland Browns y’all have ever had. One of the best running backs to ever do it in the NFL,” Harrison noted.
“You should not include Jim in the same manner just talking about Deshaun.”
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The Cleveland fans who disrespected Jim Brown’s statue should be ashamed. Leave him out of the Deshaun Watson drama @jharrison9292 | @CharlieBatch16 | #DeeboAndJoe pic.twitter.com/vXaFLYgjtV
— Deebo & Joe (@deeboandjoe) August 29, 2026
Browns fans are frustrated, and understandably so. Watson was paid $230 million guaranteed in the spring of 2022 and has suited up in just 19 games over four seasons with the Browns.
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According to PFN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Rankings, Watson posted a 59.9 impact score in 2024, ranking 40th among all qualified signal-callers. In the two seasons prior, he only managed to finish as high as 28th.
Seemingly, because Watson was given such a lucrative contract, ownership has felt obligated to start him when possible. Thankfully for Browns fans, this is the final season of the quarterback’s five-year deal, meaning the Watson experiment is nearing an end.
Still, despite the frustration, it doesn’t give fans the right to deface Brown’s statue. Hopefully, Cleveland fans take Harrison’s message to heart and no longer bring the all-time great running back into the Browns’ quarterback drama.
