Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s season is over. Watson went down with a non-contact injury late in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals with an Achilles injury. An MRI Monday revealed Watson indeed suffered a tear, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms.
The severity of the injury means Watson is done for the year, which is what the Browns had feared. He could come back for Week 1 of the 2025 season if the surgery on the area is successful.
Following the game, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the team feared Watson would be lost for the season. “Let’s get the tests first,” Stefanski told reporters, “but that’s what it looks like.”
Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaced Watson under center after Watson was carted off the field. However, Thompson-Robinson suffered a finger injury, which thrust emergency quarterback Jameis Winston in during the final moments of the 21-14 loss.
The Bengals led 7-0 when Watson went down. He went 15 of 17 with 128 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions before the injury. The loss now drops the organization to 1-6 on the year and sends them into even further turmoil as it relates to Watson’s tenure.
Watson missed the 2021 season due to a contract dispute with the Texans. He missed the first 11 games of the 2022 season — his first with the Browns — serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy because of sexual misconduct. He played just six games in 2022 and just six games in 2023, missing time due to an injury. This season, he played just six full games before going down with the likely season-ending injury.
Coming into Sunday, Watson had 1,020 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season.
