As he continues to rehab from a torn Achilles, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson vowed to return "better than before" in a video posted onto his Instagram account on Thursday.
"Everyone's doubting me," Watson said. "Everyone don't believe in me. Everyone don't think that I can get back to where I was. But I know and I believe the work that I put in, what I believe in myself. The peace that I've been channeling these last couple months, I know I'm going to be way better than before."
Watson is currently rehabbing a twice-torn right Achilles tendon, the latest injury which limited him to just seven games in 2024 and will cost him significant time in '25. Once a Pro Bowl-caliber QB and rising star in the NFL, Watson is also looking to repair his image that was severely tarnished after more than 20 women accused him of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.
Since the Browns acquired Watson for three first-round picks in a blockbuster March '22 trade, his tenure in Cleveland has been disastrous. The Clemson product has appeared in just 19 games and posted the worst QBR in the league before his season-ending injury in '24. Watson is owed $46 million in each of the next two seasons.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted that the Watson trade was a "swing-and-miss" while speaking at the annual NFL owners' meetings in March. And while Watson is still under contract with Cleveland, the organization certainly isn't treating him as its franchise QB. In March, the Browns traded for former first-round pick Kenny Pickett and have met with top draft QB prospects Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough.
