The Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the Browns this Sunday, and Cleveland has announced a decision on quarterback Deshaun Watson’s status.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski announced Tuesday that Cleveland will not activate Watson from the physically unable to perform list, effectively ending his season.
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“He does a great job at everything that’s asked of him,” Stefanski said on The Watson Show, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefosi. “I see him working so hard, whether it’s in the training room, working out alone indoors with the coaches, or just down the stretch on the practice field. I feel like this is the right decision for him and for us. His focus is going to continue to be helping this football team, continuing to get healthy, getting stronger and all those types of things.”
Watson has been sidelined since tearing his Achilles midway through last season. In early 2025, he tore his Achilles again, delaying his recovery.
It always felt like Watson was unlikely to play this season, especially after the Browns selected two quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shaddell Sanders, in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders has stepped into a nice role for Cleveland over the past five games and could become the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026.
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Watson is still under contract through 2026, so if the Browns decide to keep him, there could be a quarterback competition to determine who will start next season.
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