AI-written summary of reporting by New York Post. No human editor reviewed this. AI can misread or omit facts — read the original, linked below.
ABSTRACT

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said fans booing him during Saturday's 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland was 'a little bit more personal' than a reaction to his performance, according to The Athletic.

New York Post

Watson calls Browns fans' booing 'personal' after preseason return to Cleveland

Watson calls Browns fans' booing 'personal' after preseason return to Cleveland
Aug 22, 2026, 8:36 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said fans booing him during Saturday's 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland was 'a little bit more personal' than a reaction to his performance, according to The Athletic.

Context

Watson entered the game in the third quarter and was met with boos from the home crowd. Fans continued to jeer after his first pass fell incomplete and again when the Browns went three-and-out on his second series. He finished 5-of-12 for 36 yards with an interception.

Watson is currently competing with second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders for the Browns' starting quarterback position. Sanders started Saturday's game and finished 9-of-11 passing for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception before Watson relieved him.

Earlier in the week, Watson told reporters he did not care about the prospect of being booed and that 'nobody says anything' to him in public. After the game, he said he was holding his deeper feelings privately: 'I'm going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that.'

Watson also referenced a previous injury suffered at the same venue, saying: 'Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt.'

All Perspectives
Deshaun Watson: Watson told reporters after the game: 'It has nothing to do about the performance. It's a little bit more personal than that. So I think that's a disrespectful thing.' He added: 'I don't regret anything in my life. I think the Lord put me through situations for a reason. I don't regret anything at all. I had different thoughts on how it was going to be, but it is what it is. Sometimes the tables turn, and I'm patient enough because I'm a child of God to wait for that time to change. So I'm not tripping on it.'
Shedeur Sanders: Sanders, speaking to sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala on the News 5 Cleveland broadcast, said: 'I don't really like overall whenever the whole stadium is booing and stuff when Deshaun gets in 'cause he's going out there, he's trying to put in work, too, just how we all are. Just being a person, I don't really like that, and I don't really respect that.'
Position not represented in the source reporting: Cleveland Browns organization.
Gaps & Unknowns
  • The source does not state the specific reason or reasons Browns fans cited for booing Watson.
  • The source does not state when Watson tore his Achilles or provide details of the injury beyond his own reference to it.
  • The source does not state the Browns organization's official response or comment on the crowd reaction.
  • The source does not state the current status of the quarterback competition — whether a starter has been named or when a decision is expected.
  • The source does not state what Watson meant by the booing being 'personal' beyond his reference to fans cheering his injury.
Sources & Further Reading
  1. New York Post — original

Read the original at New York Post

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