The Cleveland Browns have officially ruled out quarterback Deshaun Watson against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
XFL legend P.J. Walker is set to start in Watson’s place. Walker will be the 36th quarterback to start for the Browns since they returned to the NFL in 1999. He will be the fourth quarterback to start for the team since they traded for Watson in the summer of 2022.
Watson injured his throwing shoulder in the third quarter of a Week 3 win against the Tennessee Titans. Though Watson went on to finish the best game of his Browns career, he suffered what the team called a “shoulder contusion” to his throwing arm.
Watson remained steadfast that the injury wouldn’t prevent him from playing in a Week 4 tilt against the Ravens. When Watson missed that game, the CBS broadcast revealed that an MRI to Watson’s shoulder showed fluid around his rotator cuff. (The Browns instead started Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who completed 19 of 36 passes for just 121 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions, and they lost 28-3.)
Still, Watson and coaches remained adamant that Watson would start against the 49ers after the bye week. But Watson continued to miss practice, and the Browns didn’t wait until the day of the game this week to make the decision.
The NFL world was quick to react to this move, with many joking that Watson would rather sit than face the dynamic pass rush of the 49ers:
[Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter]
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