Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday morning with a couple of posts that foreshadowed upcoming injury news.
The first was a prayer in which he thanked God for keeping a promise made to Watson.
“Thank you that I too can say, ‘God, give me this mountain,'” Watson said in an email. “I declare that every giant, every obstacle that stands in the way, will be conquered.”
The second was a photo of a daily calendar for November 15 with an inspirational message, captioned “More Glory!”
“When your plans get derailed,” the message on the calendar said, “there is only one who can offer you a firm foundation for whatever is ahead.”
Neither post was encouraging for Browns fans. A little more than an hour later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that Watson will have season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a broken bone. Watson’s status was announced by the Browns at the same time.
Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns will play at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on November 12, 2023. Due to a shoulder injury, the quarterback will miss the rest of the season.
The news was difficult for Browns fans who were riding high after a big win over the Baltimore Ravens.
One user tweeted a Princess Bride meme: “Where were we? The Pit of Despair, yes.”
Another user referenced current events by captioning a photo of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green choking Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert on Tuesday evening, “God whenever something positive finally happens for the Cleveland Browns.”
Meanwhile, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network shed some light on the injury, stating that Watson wanted to get shots in his shoulder and play through the pain.
“But doctors were clear: if he got hit again in the same spot, the shoulder could fall apart,” Pelissero wrote in his report. “Now surgery awaits and his 2023 season is over.”
Pelissero’s report was later confirmed by Browns GM Andrew Berry.
Watson “went 14-14 in the second half [against the Ravens], including a game-winning drive, vs. the #1 defense in the NFL, all while playing with a high ankle sprain *and* a broken shoulder,” according to former NFL player Emmanuel Acho.
However, Watson is not a well-liked figure in the NFL. In 2022, more than a dozen women accused Watson of harassment and sexual assault, and while he was never charged criminally, the NFL suspended him for 11 games.
As a result, Watson (and the Browns) did not appear to elicit as much sympathy from opposing fans as others.
“I feel bad when any other team loses their starting QB,” said one user. “I was saddened when the Browns lost Nick Chubb. Deshaun Watson is a scumbag, and the Browns gave him the largest guaranteed money deal in NFL history on purpose. They struck a bargain with the devil. “You get back what you put in.”
On Sunday, the Browns will face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some fans may be underwhelmed by the options for replacing Watson before Sunday’s game.
“I don’t really want to watch PJ Walker man,” one of them wrote.
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