Deshaun Watson will open the 2026 season as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback. He ultimately beat Shedeur Sanders in a battle that began during the team’s offseason workout program.
However, former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho is now questioning whether the competition was truly as genuine as it appeared.
Emmanuel Acho Blasts Browns Over Deshaun Watson-Shedeur Sanders Decision
Watson and Sanders split first-team reps throughout the offseason program and training camp. Despite Watson’s struggles in Saturday’s second preseason game, the Browns ultimately named him their QB1. Watson completed just 5 of 12 passes for 35 yards and an interception across four second-half drives.
Browns head coach Todd Monken defended the decision by pointing to Watson’s overall body of work from the offseason through training camp, preseason games, and joint practices. After considering everything, Monken felt Watson gave Cleveland the best opportunity to move the ball and score.
However, Sanders being relegated to the backup role raised plenty of eyebrows, as the second-year quarterback had arguably been more impressive than Watson during the preseason. Sanders started the second preseason game and played the first half, completing 9 of 11 passes for 74 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
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As Monken ultimately stuck with Watson, Acho argued on the “Speakeasy” podcast that there was never a genuine quarterback competition in Cleveland.
“It was never a competition,” Acho said. “The Deshaun Watson-Shedeur Sanders competition was simply a facade. No. 1, to keep Shedeur Sanders’ fans from becoming irate and suggesting that Deshaun Watson should not be named a starter without legitimate competition. The whole world saw how bad Shedeur Sanders’ fans got, how upset they got after Dillon Gabriel was given all the first-team reps. There was never a competition.
“This whole thing was simply a charade. It was a charade so the Shedeur Sanders fans would not be upset. Deshaun Watson has not severely outplayed Shedeur in practice… Was it ever actually a legitimate competition? No, because if it was a legitimate competition, I don’t think there’s anything Deshaun Watson has done, at least from the outside looking in.”
— footballnfl739 (@footballUPguru) August 25, 2026
Watson has remained a controversial figure in Cleveland since the Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in 2022 and handed him a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
He owns a 9-10 record as Cleveland’s starting quarterback, with injuries prematurely ending each of his last two seasons as the team’s starter.
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Acho believes Watson’s veteran status and hefty deal are the only reasons the Browns chose him in the QB1 race.
“There’s nothing Deshaun Watson has done to suggest he should be given the starting job outside of the money he’s being paid,” Acho added. “So to some degree, I don’t feel bad for Shedeur because this is the NFL.
“They tell you it’s a competition, and it never actually is. It’s who is getting paid the most is going to start or who’s the most veteran that’s going to start.”
The situation became even more tense when Watson entered the second preseason game at Huntington Bank Field. Though the stadium was only partially filled, boos echoed when he took the field to begin the second half.
Watson openly addressed the hostile reception afterward, saying that if Browns fans did not like him, the feeling was mutual, while describing the booing as “disrespectful.”
However, Watson apologized for those postgame remarks during his first news conference after being named Cleveland’s starter.
