It took a lot longer than anyone wanted, hoped, or even expected, but Deshaun Watson is finally finding himself on the right side of history for the Cleveland Browns in 2026.
The caveat is obviously that it's still very early in the 2026 season, but even with it being early in the year, and even in a small sample, Cleveland Browns fans will take even the slightest sign of life at the quarterback position.
Watson has thrown for 587 yards and 5 touchdowns through the first three games of the 2026 season, completing 68.3 percent of his passes. He's also got 109 rushing yards this season, and 9 first downs on the ground. More important than just posting stats, the Browns have won two of their first three games this season, and Watson has been instrumental late in those games.
Deshaun Watson is finally making the type of history Browns fans want to see
Deshaun Watson is the first Browns QB to throw a go-ahead, game-winning, TD pass in the final 4 minutes of regulation in consecutive games since Brian Sipe in Weeks 7-8, 1980.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 30, 2026
🫡 @JohnToddNFL at @NFL Research @NFLPlus
Anytime you hear a stat that ends with "since 1980", it's going to turn some heads.
The Browns have done their share of hiring new head coaches, searching underneath every possible stone to find a solution at the quarterback position. They have hit the reset button countless times, just looking for any semblance of productivity and consistency at the quarterback position.
And maybe the most torturous part of what we're seeing from Watson is the fact that it feels like it's only going to be temporary. You never know what the future might hold, but it certainly seems like Watson's time in Cleveland won't last beyond this year.
Never say never, of course.
The Browns have had no choice but to stick by Watson and his crippling contract. The organization made the bizarre decision to trade a king's ransom of draft picks to get Watson, as well as sign him to an unprecedented (and fully guaranteed) 5-year deal worth $230 million.
Even with Watson having a couple of good games to start the 2026 season, that will still go down as the most ridiculous contract in NFL history.
But even if it's a short-term return on investment, getting some decent play out of Watson is a welcome sight for the Cleveland Browns and their fan base. Watson constantly being the "worst" this, the "worst" that -- it's exhausting.
After a couple of back-to-back clutch performances, Watson is now going to be in the spotlight for the right reasons in Week 4. The Browns play a Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers under the lights of primetime.
It will be a huge test. Watson is not far off from already setting career-bests in most major passing categories in his time with the Browns.
If he continues to play like we have seen in the first three weeks of the season, there might be a lot more opportunities for him to get on the right side of history with the Browns. Better late than never.
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