Three-time Pro Bowler whose Browns contract has become one of the league's most discussed trade liabilities.
Deshaun Watson sits at a career crossroads. The 2024 Achilles tear required two surgeries and kept him out for all of 2025. Cleveland enters 2026 with him under contract through 2026 on a fully guaranteed deal, and the team has held the No. 1 pick at multiple drafts trying to find an offensive answer around him.
Path to the league
Clemson national champion in 2016 who beat Alabama 35-31 to win the title. Texans took him 12th overall in 2017. Three Pro Bowls and a 2020 NFL passing yards title in Houston. Traded to Cleveland in March 2022 in a deal that included three first-round picks and a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.
Career highlights
3x Pro Bowler. 2020 NFL passing yards leader (4,823). 2016 College Football Playoff National Champion (Clemson). Career: 22,000-plus passing yards, 150-plus TDs, 60.3 career completion percentage.
2025 season and outlook
Did not play. Suffered an Achilles re-rupture in January 2025 after appearing close to a return. Cleveland started Jameis Winston, Bailey Zappe and rookie Shedeur Sanders in 2025. Watson is expected to be cleared for OTAs in June 2026 but the team has not committed to him as the starter.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Deshaun Watson
- Pro Football Reference: Deshaun Watson
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Passing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | RTG | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | browns | 8 | 163 | 249 | 1,806 | 7 | 3 | 91.2 | 40.9 |
| 2024 | browns | 7 | 137 | 216 | 1,148 | 5 | 3 | 79.0 | 21.0 |
| 2023 | browns | 6 | 105 | 171 | 1,115 | 7 | 4 | 84.3 | 43.7 |
| 2022 | browns | 6 | 99 | 170 | 1,102 | 7 | 5 | 79.1 | 40.4 |
| 2020 | texans | 16 | 382 | 544 | 4,823 | 33 | 7 | 112.4 | 63.7 |
| 2019 | texans | 15 | 333 | 495 | 3,852 | 26 | 12 | 98.0 | 70.5 |
| 2018 | texans | 16 | 345 | 505 | 4,165 | 26 | 9 | 103.1 | 61.8 |
| 2017 | texans | 7 | 126 | 204 | 1,699 | 19 | 8 | 103.0 | 83.7 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | browns | 8 | 51 | 217 | 4.3 | 1 | 21 |
| 2024 | browns | 7 | 31 | 148 | 4.8 | 1 | 16 |
| 2023 | browns | 6 | 26 | 142 | 5.5 | 1 | 16 |
| 2022 | browns | 6 | 36 | 175 | 4.9 | 1 | 21 |
| 2020 | texans | 16 | 90 | 444 | 4.9 | 3 | 16 |
| 2019 | texans | 15 | 82 | 413 | 5.0 | 7 | 30 |
| 2018 | texans | 16 | 99 | 551 | 5.6 | 5 | 34 |
| 2017 | texans | 7 | 36 | 269 | 7.5 | 2 | 49 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- Clemson
- Hometown
- Gainesville, GA, USA
- Age
- 31
- Status
- active
Latest news about Deshaun Watson
All news →Steelers Rout Browns 27-6 in Week 8
Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Cleveland Browns 6 at Acrisure Stadium. Aaron Rodgers went 13 of 25 for 172 yards with 1 interception.
Browns Edge Titans 27-24 in Week 7
Cleveland Browns 27, Tennessee Titans 24 at Nissan Stadium. Deshaun Watson went 25 of 36 for 308 yards with 1 interception.
Browns Edge Ravens 13-10 in Week 6
Cleveland Browns 13, Baltimore Ravens 10 at Huntington Bank Field. Deshaun Watson went 16 of 26 for 164 yards.
Jets Beat Browns 17-12 in Week 5
New York Jets 17, Cleveland Browns 12 at MetLife Stadium. Geno Smith went 17 of 30 for 182 yards with 1 touchdown.
Browns Edge Steelers 27-24 in Week 4
Cleveland Browns 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24 at Huntington Bank Field. Deshaun Watson went 24 of 33 for 268 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
Browns Edge Panthers 21-18 in Week 3
Cleveland Browns 21, Carolina Panthers 18 at Huntington Bank Field. Deshaun Watson went 16 of 30 for 144 yards with 2 touchdowns.
