Aug 3, 2023; Canton, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) watches from the sidelines during the first half against the New York Jets at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: Pro Football Hall of Fame-New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a potential suspension.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports Deshaun Watson’s “two blatant face mask fouls and his shove of an official” will be “evaluated and assessed” by the NFL.
Watson had a pair of face mask penalties late in the Browns’ Week 2 loss to the Steelers and made (aggressive) contact with a ref after getting into it with Kwon Alexander on the sideline.
Watson File Photo 5
Alexander had to be held back, and as Watson started to talk back, and appeared to push an official out of the way.
Contact with an official is supposed to warrant an ejection, but Watson stayed in the game. Instead, Watson was flagged for unnecessary roughness
While a suspension seems unlikely, there is a possibility of a fine being handed down.
Watson’s 2023 could not have gotten off to a worse start as he’s look completely out for a second straight week
“Still coming along,” Watson said after the game when asked how he feels he’s playing right now. “I feel like, tonight, it was s—– as far as that. There’s some plays that we capitalized and we did good, but as far as my part, it’s not good enough. I put that on me. The first play, yeah, we can get into the tactics of receiver running out and putting the ball out, and this, that and the third, but I got to give him a better ball. The forced fumble for a touchdown for them. We can say, ‘This guy can do this,’ but I’ve got to protect the ball. We’re not going to put it on anyone else. You put it on me. I can take the full blame, I can take the criticism and I’m going to do that.”
The outside chance that Watson could serve a suspension for his Monday night would put rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center for the Browns.
