Wednesday morning, breaking news emerged on the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation as the team placed starter Deshaun Watson in the concussion protocol. The team released the following statement:
During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, Deshaun took a helmet-to-helmet hit. The ATC spotted called down to the sideline, and the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) administered a gameday concussion evaluation. Deshaun was cleared by the UNC and returned on the Browns’
next offensive series. As part of the protocol, the team’s medical staff evaluated him again postgame and Monday morning. Both times he showed no symptoms, passed his evaluations, and was cleared. On Tuesday morning, he reported to the medical staff that he began experiencing concussion symptoms Monday night and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.
This is the hit that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty on Pittsburgh, and led to Watson being pulled from the game for a few plays while Shedeur Sanders replaced him. As mentioned in the Browns’ statement above, Watson returned on the next series and played the remainder of the game in the team’s 27-6 loss.
Obviously, the biggest storyline for the Browns the remainder of the week will be whether he clears the protocol or not. Last week, right tackle Tytus Howard did not practice Wednesday-Friday while in the protocol, but then magically cleared it on Saturday and started.
If Watson is out, then Sanders would start his first game of the 2026 NFL season. It’s certainly a unique situation for the Browns’ quarterback situation. At the start of the season, many fans wanted Sanders to start over Watson. However, Watson has led five game-winning drives in the team’s 5-3 start to the season, which has led to more fans at least tolerating watching him. The metrics still show he’s been a below average quarterback, though, so if Sanders indeed starts, he’ll have a chance to shift the narrative again to whether he should remain the team’s starter. It probably couldn’t come at a better time, too, because the Saints’ defense is among the worst in the NFL, and the Browns then return home for a four-game stretch.
