Deshaun Watson believes the hostility he receives from Cleveland Browns fans has become personal. Former NFL head coach Herm Edwards believes the quarterback still has a responsibility to prevent that frustration from affecting how he leads.
Edwards addressed Watson’s comments while discussing Cleveland’s quarterback competition on ESPN, arguing that the position demands steady leadership regardless of what is happening outside the huddle.
Herm Edwards Questions Deshaun Watson’s Leadership
“The quarterback has a leadership position, and no matter how it goes, good or bad, you have to lead the team,” Edwards said during the ESPN segment.
Edwards, who spent eight seasons as an NFL head coach with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, argued that Watson cannot allow outside pressure to alter the energy he brings to teammates.
“You can’t allow the outside pressures to not allow you to do that in a manner where you have energy and you’re positive, even through bad games,” Edwards said.
Then came Edwards’ blunt assessment of where Watson currently stands.
“Right now, he’s behind the eight ball,” Edwards said. “There’s no doubt about it. We know the history of this. It’s not getting any better.”
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Watson drew renewed criticism after Cleveland’s 31-7 preseason loss to Buffalo. He called the boos he heard from Browns fans “disrespectful” and argued they were about something more personal than his performance.
Watson also pointed to his 2024 Achilles injury, noting that some Cleveland fans cheered when he went down.
Edwards Believes Shedeur Sanders Has Passed Watson
Edwards’ criticism did not stop with Watson’s response to the crowd. He also made his preference in Cleveland’s quarterback competition clear.
“Shedeur Sanders is getting better, though,” Edwards said. “I thought he played very well from the pocket today. Made some good decisions, sat in there, bought some time.” He then predicted Sanders will ultimately win the starting job.
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Sanders completed nine of 11 passes for 74 yards, one touchdown and one interception against Buffalo. Watson replaced him in the third quarter and finished 5-of-12 for 35 yards with an interception, according to Cleveland’s game recap.
Sanders entered the summer coming off a 63.0 PFN QB Impact score in 2025, while Watson missed the season recovering from his Achilles injuries.
Head coach Todd Monken has not announced his Week 1 starter and said Sunday that Watson’s postgame comments will not factor into that decision.
Edwards is evaluating something broader than one preseason box score. His concern is whether Watson can provide the leadership expected from a starting quarterback while his relationship with Cleveland remains under constant strain.
