RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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CLEVELAND ― Deshaun Watson didn't forget the cheers the last time he left the field. He didn't ignore the boos the first time he ran back onto it, either.
The Browns quarterback was back in Cleveland to play a game for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon Oct. 20, 2024. At that time, there were audible cheers from some fans as he was on the ground in pain.
Five seconds into the third quarter of the Browns' 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills , Watson ran back onto the field. This time, his presence was greeted by audible boos from some fans, and not just the ones wearing Bills jerseys.
"Man, I didn't have no reaction," Watson said initially when asked about the reaction. "I think the biggest thing is, I think you guys know too, and I think the whole world knows. It has nothing to do about the performance. It's a little bit personal than that. So I think that's a disrespectful thing. So yeah, I mean, I'm going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. And yeah, just move on."
The boos only got louder as Watson's four series in the second half progressed. He completed just one of his first four passes, for minus-1 yard, before finishing 5-of-12 for 36 yards with an interception and a 14.6 passer rating.
Asked why, considering the poor stat line, he didn't believe performance could change the boos to cheers, Watson peeled back the curtain to that Sunday in 2024 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles," Watson said. "And that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt. So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person get hurt, especially for your own city and they cheer."
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson calls boos from Browns fans 'personal,' recalls cheers after injury
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