Cleveland, OH
Oh no, Cleveland Browns Quarterback Deshaun Watson Sucks Again, But There Are Excuses
What’s the excuse now, Deshaun Watson?
It cannot be rust anymore, because it’s been years since you joined the Cleveland Browns after being shelved by the Houston Texans.
It cannot be the weight of all those lawsuits for sexual harassment and an NFL suspension on your mind because that came in 2022, when you finally had a chance to start earning your milestone contract with the Browns.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns is tackled by Damone Clark #18 of the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Watson Says He’s Same QB As Always
And it cannot be an injury, like it was last season in which you were knocked from the lineup by series of curious circumstances, all of them concerning your throwing shoulder.
So what is it now?
Why are you, Deshaun Watson, a sub-par NFL quarterback and a shadow of the player you were in 2020 when everything looked so amazing?
“I’ll always be Deshaun Watson, regardless of whoever else says otherwise,” Watson said Sunday evening after the 33-17 loss to the Cowboys that left most of the Browns embarrassed. “…You’re going to have days like this. We all have days like this when we you’re playing this type of game.
“That’s just part of what comes with it. It comes with the territory, and especially in my position.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns is hit by Marshawn Kneeland #94 of the Dallas Cowboys as he throws the ball in the third quarter of the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Watson Acquisition Gets More Questionable
Watson’s position was set by the Browns when they signed the quarterback to an unprecedented fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022. That deal means Watson cannot be cut because it would wreck Cleveland’s salary cap.
The Browns are on the hook for a $72.9 million salary cap charge on Watson each of the next two seasons.
And he cannot be traded because, well, nobody is trading for a player that has been struggling for a couple of years with that contract.
Did we mention the Browns gave up three first-round draft picks to acquire Watson before they handed him the keys to a bank vault?
So, Watson has to perform. Must perform.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns fumbles the ball as he is hit by DeMarcus Lawrence #90 of the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
A Watson Stinker Vs. Cowboys
But he isn’t performing. He completed 24 of 45 passes for only 169 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in this loss.
It was a stinker.
“Much is given, much is required,” Watson himself said, sort of quoting Scripture. “So, you know, got to add a little bit more to whatever it is. We didn’t have enough this week. And we got to make sure we have enough next week to get on the right page.”
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said during training camp that Watson had “attacked” the rehab connected to last season’s shoulder injury.
On Sunday the Dallas defense attacked Watson. The Cowboys pressured Watson 25 times, including six sacks on 56 dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns throws the ball in the third quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Watson wilted against that pressure. He completed only 5 of 17 passes for 22 yards while throwing under pressure.
“It’s frustrating,” receiver Amari Cooper told reporters. “You always want to protect your quarterback, especially like you just mentioned, coming off a surgery. Obviously, he’s been rehabbing well but don’t want the quarterback to get hit too much.
“I think he got hit a little bit too much.”
And there it is. The excuse
Watson was sacked six times. And, obviously, a lot of that was a protection breakdown.
“We cannot let our quarterback get hit that often,” Stefanski said. “Period.”
But some of that was Watson showing a lack of awareness.
Like the time on fourth down he rolled right and rather than throwing the ball somewhere, anywhere, because it was fourth down, he held the ball and took the sack.
Watson Missed Opportunities
There was also an issue with those hits affecting Watson. Stefanski said Watson “battled” but he seemed quite more interested in getting out of the pocket than more often hanging in there and delivering an accurate throw.
One of those occasions was when Watson vacated the pocket as Cooper cut across the middle of the field wide, wide open. Watson obviously didn’t see him.
This is not the same Watson who played for the Houston Texans and was an MVP candidate in 2020 when he threw 33 TD passes against only seven interceptions and collected 4,823 passing yards.
On Sunday that dude was not playing quarterback for the Browns. It was some other guy. Some lesser player.
Ironically, in suggesting a possible rebound to what happened Sunday, Watson recalled his Houston days.
“It’s the NFL, anything can happen,” Watson said. “I started 0-4 in 2018. We won 11 straight … Anything can happen, anything is possible.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Miami Heat on Friday night, in the second game of a back-to-back between these Eastern Conference rivals.
The Miami Heat go for their 40th win of the season and the series victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road on Friday. This is the second game of a back-to-back for these teams, fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference standings. Both of these games will be played in Cleveland, with the Heat pulling off the upset in Game 1 on Wednesday, winning 120-103. The win ended Miami’s five-game losing streak, and the loss ended the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak. The win gave the Heat a 2-1 series lead, with Friday’s game serving as the finale. Miami is back in the eighth seed, but is only a half-game above the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic. Cleveland is sitting comfortably in fourth place, but is three games back of the New York Knicks for third. The biggest name sitting out of this rematch is Jarrett Allen, who is dealing with a knee injury but is expected to return on Friday. The Cavaliers should be the favorite at home to tie this season series at two games apiece in this rematch.
How to Watch Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Today:
Game Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: NBATV, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio 1 (Cleveland feed)
Location: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH
Live stream the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers on Fubo: Start watching now!
Miami started off hot in the first half on Wednesday, but Cleveland came back in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat by 17. But Miami quickly returned the favor in the fourth, outscoring the Cavaliers by the same total in the final quarter. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 28, but the Heat were more balanced with Norman Powell leading the charge with 19 points, and Tyler Herro added 18. James Harden and Sam Merrill both scored 18 points apiece for the Cavs. Miami shot 52 percent from the field as a team and an impressive 40 percent from three. The Heat led by as much as 17 in the third but nearly squandered the sure win before the strong fourth quarter. Miami had eight players score in double figures in what turned out to be a comfortable victory. Expect a closer game tonight in the finale rematch.
What time is the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game On?
The Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers game will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune in and catch some great NBA action.
What Channel Is the Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game On?
Looking to watch this game? Fans can tune in to the NBATV, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio 1 (Cleveland feed) to see the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.
Live stream Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers on Fubo: Start watching now!
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CLEVELAND — For Kyle Burnett, drag is more than just a hobby, discovering the art form after falling into a deep depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burnett, who is nonbinary, has been living in Ohio for more than a decade and has performed as “Zoey Zegai” for five of those years.
“It was a tough time … I found drag not only as a way of entertainment, but embracing myself as a queer member of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Burnett, who uses he/they pronouns.
While Burnett has been met with substantial support, he said, he’s noticed a recent shift in societal attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community over the last year.
“I had my purse and was wearing short shorts because Ohio gets hot in the summertime, and I had a beer bottle thrown at me from outside of someone’s car window,” Burnett said.
“Zoey Zegai,” which Burnett said, is influenced by old-school divas like Joan Crawford and newer divas like Jinkx Monsoons.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been proposed during the 2026 legislative session nationwide.
One of these bills is HB 249, or the “Indecent Exposure Modernization Act,” which would restrict drag performances to adult entertainment venues. The policy also changes the definition of public indecency to include “performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer’s or entertainer’s biological sex using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers.”
TransOhio Executive Director Dara Adkison said the bill uses broad language and could criminalize gender-diverse expression.
“It’s really making a statute that law enforcement professionals get to enforce their personal ideas about what is and isn’t appropriate gender representation, what is and isn’t performance. You know, is it singing karaoke? Is it being and drag queen? I know, is it a trans person walking down?” said Adkison, who uses they/them pronouns.
While many Ohioans are expressing concerns about the bill targeting transgender people and drag performers, nonprofit Equality Ohio said, the legislation’s impact expands to athletes and countless others.
The bill revises a previous code banning the exposure of “private parts” to now ban the exposure of “private areas,” said Dwayne Steward, Executive Director of Equality Ohio.
“Because the language they use is so vague, it really can apply to anyone, really. The language has been shifted from ‘obscenity’ … someone showing their genitals … to anyone showing their ‘genital area’, which could mean anyone who’s wearing a sports bra, a cheerleader who may be showing their midriff. “
Supporters of HB 249 said the bill is meant to protect children, while others have said this argument reinforces a harmful narrative surrounding drag performances.
“People, immediately when they see drag, they think that it is something that is sexual, something that is trying to indoctrinate children, to expose them to sexual content. And that’s not the case in any capacity,” Olivia Kowslowski.
Kowslowski is born and raised in northeast Ohio, now performing as “Monica Mod.”
Kowslowski, who started first started performing drag in Jan. 2022.
“I think that my perspective is important because it just shows that the bill is harmful to many people, including people that they were not expecting to be impacted by this,” she said. “… Most people don’t realize that when I’m in drag, I am, I’m a cisgender woman.”
While she’s become well known around her college campus’ drag scene, Kowslowski said, she and other performers are facing additional barriers.
“I have found that finding bookings is much more difficult because many venues are a lot more hesitant to host drag events at their spaces, or even support drag entertainers and their venues. Mainly from HB 249,” she said.
The Democratic Society of America’s Cleveland chapter recently announced it is launching a Gender Freedom Policy Petition that would go against “recent legislation calling to limit and ban drag performances,” calling it, “an injustice to not only the drag scene but also the broader Cleveland community.”
The petitions also includes provisions “that safeguard drag performers” and call for city-backed gender-affirming care services.
HB 249 now remains under review by the Ohio Senate and would require the governor’s signature before going into effect.
While the future remains uncertain, Burnett said, he and others in the drag community are hoping to build wider solidarity across all Ohio populations.
“We’re all just trying to live the same day-to-day life, get groceries, pay bills, drive to-and-from work. But there’s no room for hate,” Burnett said. “There’s no room for violence. We just want to feel like Ohio citizens.”
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