Deshaun Watson will be good to go when the Houston Texans arrive on Sunday for Week 10's showdown in Cleveland.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback is cleared to play this week and is expected to make the start. Watson, who served as the face of the Texans' franchise, missed Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints after suffering a concussion the week prior in a 27-6 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Watson, who is entering the last year of that historic five-year, $230 million extension offered by the Browns in 2022, ended up staying in the game after being evaluated for a concussion on the opening drive. He threw for 324 yards and didn't have a turnover, but afterwards was placed back in the concussion protocol.
The Browns plan to start Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs the Texans, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 9, 2026
Shedeur Sanders filled in Sunday in New Orleans, but returning to Watson was the expected move once he cleared concussion protocol.
Sunday will mark just the second time the Texans have faced Watson since their public breakup ahead of the 2021 season. After asking for a trade ahead of the 2021 season, Watson entered a criminal investigation after two dozen women filed civil lawsuits accusing the Pro Bowl quarterback of sexual assault and harassment during multiple massage therapy sessions. After a Harris County grand jury declined to indict him with criminal charges, Watson was traded to the Browns in exchange for three first-round picks, along with a future third- and fourth-round selection.
One of those first-round picks was used as part of a deal to land All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Since his arrival in Cleveland, Watson has been plagued by mediocre play, along with season-ending injuries. After being suspended for the first 11 games in 2022, Watson only started six games. In 2023, he missed 10 games due to a lingering shoulder injury. A year later, a torn Achilles forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024 season, limiting him to just seven starts.
Watson also missed all of the 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles tendon ahead of the campaign. Overall, he's 13-14 as a starter with zero playoff wins.
"Watson's playing well at the quarterback position as well. They're rolling along," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said of the quarterback. "They're playing really good football. I feel the energy from that team when I watch the tape. Playing with good energy, executing well. It'll be a really tough challenge for us.”
The last time Houston faced Watson was in 2022. He completed 12 of 22 passes for 131 yards with one interception, though the Texans' offense couldn't move the ball, resulting in a 27-14 win for the Browns.
Kickoff on FOX is scheduled for Noon.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans expected to face former QB Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs. Browns
