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Browns Accused Of “Staging” Deshaun Watson’s Friendly Sideline Interaction With Fans Before Preseason Game To Try & Save His Image [VIDEO]

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Deshaun Watson signing autographs and items.
Deshaun Watson. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Deshaun Watson needed a soft landing in Cleveland. ESPN Cleveland posted a railing video instead. Watson smiled with young fans before Thursday’s Patriots preseason game. He posed for selfies in street clothes. The clip labeled him QB1.

The timing did the damage. He fired back after Saturday’s Bills loss. Home fans booed his first local snaps in 22 months. He went 5-of-12 for 36 yards and a pick. Then he made it personal.

“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little bit more personal than that. So I think it’s a disrespectful thing.”

Days later, he hugged kids on camera. Browns Twitter did not buy the reset.

Deshaun Watson’s Railing Stop Looks Staged to Browns Twitter

Deshaun Watson at practice.
Deshaun Watson. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Replies piled onto the ESPN Cleveland post.

“Looks hella staged 👑,” one fan said.

“Who paid these kids? ‘Hey guys we will upgrade you and your family to lower bowl, you will get autographs from select players’ Select player:….” another wrote.

“Publicity stunt🙄,” one added.

“I swear I’m not even trolling, why this shi look staged dawg 😂,” one asked.

“This ain’t real! Those fans can’t stand Deshaun Watson!🤨🤨,” someone declared.

The Browns sat Watson against New England. Todd Monken rested starters. Shedeur Sanders sat too. Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green got the snaps. The meet-and-greet was the only Watson scene of the night.

Deshaun Watson Already Walked Back a Fan Fight Once

Deshaun Watson.
Deshaun Watson.. Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Monken named him the Week 1 starter on Monday. The official announcement cited a full body of work. Watson then softened the boo comments.

“My emotions got the best of me,” he said. “I’m human. I take full responsibility of that.”

He had also floated 17 road games.

“I feel like I get more love in road games than I do home games.”

That line followed years of injuries, an 11-game suspension, and a $230 million guarantee. Cleveland is 9-10 in his 19 starts.

Fans already made the boos personal before the kid video dropped. Signs hit the Jim Brown statue. Jerseys hit fire pits. The Haslams still handed him the job over Sanders.

Watson’s first regular-season home date is Week 3 against Carolina. Jacksonville and Tampa come first on the road. The railing clip will not last that long. The replies already wrote the caption. Staged. Paid. Fake.

Cleveland wanted football. Deshaun Watson gave them a photo line. The Dawg Pound answered in the quote tweets.

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