Browns' Deshaun Watson's Sole Focus Revealed For Week 1

About two-and-a-half weeks back, Deshaun Watson stood at the podium following a miserable preseason performance against the Buffalo Bills and let it rip.

The emotions of being bood by Cleveland Browns fans during the fogettable outing, had gotten the best of him. Nearly two years ago, some Browns fans had also cheered when he was carted off the field with a ruptured Achilles.

It all seemed to reach a boiling point for the embattled QB and at the time his off the cuff comments appeared to possibly threaten his chances to be named the team's starting QB. Two days later though, head coach Todd Monken, unbothered by the remarks, named Watson his QB1 to start the season. 

Now, with a Week 1 showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars just days away, Watson is trying to live in the present and leave his controversial presser behind him. 

"I’m not worried about that," he said of the viral moment. "We focused on now, on what we can do now. So, it’s not about what we’re worried about in the future or in the past, excuse me. We’re not worried about ’24. We’re not worried about last year, me not playing. We’re not worried about the preseason. Right now, we’ve got to focus on Jacksonville."

In some ways, a matchup with the Jags may be the perfect one for Watson to return against. After spending the first four years of his career in the AFC South with the Houston Texans, Watson developed into quite the Jaguars killer.

Entering Sunday, Watson is 7-0 against Jacksonville in his career. He doesn't think there's some profpund reason he's had so much success against the Browns first AFC foe of the season, though. 

“I guess a majority of it was that was one of our big rival teams, being in that same division when I played for Houston," he said. "So it was mandatory to try to get those games. They were very, very, very close, intense games, and we found ways to win. That’s pretty much all I can say about that."

This latest matchup may offer more of the same. Week 1 games tend to come with some sloppiness as teams shake off the offseason rust and try to reestablish who they are in a fresh campaign. 

That may bode well for a Cleveland team, led by Watson, that is considered heavy underdogs on the road this weekend. 

Add that spotless record against Jacksonville to the list of things Watson isn't concerned with as he prepares to make his first start under center in 22 months. 

"Nah, nah, I don’t get too comfortable, man," said the 30-year-old. "This is a different team. This is 2026, man. So, I’m not going into this game looking at the 7-0 record at all. This is a good Jacksonville team that we’ve got to go out there and we’ve got to earn it. So, I’m not looking at that at all."