“Once Deshaun Watson Fails…It’s Gonna Happen” — Ryan Fitzpatrick Didn’t Hold Back While Talking About Browns QB On Live TV During Amazon’s Preseason Game [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Deshaun Watson’s career with the Cleveland Browns can be summarized as a turbulent stretch. Extended absences, severe injuries, and intense scrutiny have defined it.
Initially, Watson arrived in Cleveland via a blockbuster March 2022 trade from the Houston Texans. He would then sign a historic, fully guaranteed $230 million contract. However, his tenure started with a major setback when he served an 11-game NFL suspension during the 2022 season.
Consequently, he only appeared in six games that year, struggling to regain his previous Pro Bowl form. Ultimately, after appearing in just 19 total regular-season games across his first four years in Cleveland, Watson faces a critical crossroads.
He is headed into a critical year during the 2026 season. He believes in himself, but not everybody does.
Ryan Fitzpatrick Predicts Deshaun Watson’s Browns Collapse
A blunt forecast was delivered live on television Thursday night. Ryan Fitzpatrick was asked about Cleveland’s quarterback situation on the broadcast. Then a direct claim was made about Deshaun Watson and the Browns. Failure was treated as a matter of timing, not debate. “Once he fails, Shedeur is going to jump into this thing,” Fitzpatrick said.
After that, the city was predicted to rally behind Shedeur Sanders. Kirk Herbstreit asked whether failure was truly expected. “Yeah. It’s gonna happen,” Fitzpatrick answered without hedging.
Watson Hasn’t Been The Same Since His Scandal
The Deshaun Watson massage scandal remains one of the most high-profile and controversial off-the-field controversies in modern NFL history.
Initially, the scandal came to light in March 2021. That is when a Houston-area massage therapist filed a civil lawsuit accusing Watson of civil assault and sexual misconduct during a private treatment session.
Subsequently, a massive wave of allegations followed. Over the next several months, nearly 30 women stepped forward with similar accounts. Furthermore, his legal standing received a major boost in early 2022 when two separate Texas grand juries declined to pursue criminal charges against him.
Although he avoided prison time, an independent investigation by NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson concluded that his behavior was “egregious.” As a result, the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to a settlement that handed Watson an 11-game suspension.
Deshaun Watson has never returned to the player he was in Houston.
