(SRN NEWS/AP/97.5 GLORY FM) – Former Gainesville High star quarterback Deshaun Watson won’t finish the season as Cleveland’s starting quarterback for the second straight year.
Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first half of Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati, collapsing as he began to run and leading some Browns fans to cheer while the divisive QB laid on the ground writhing in pain.
The team feared Watson’s year was over and an MRI on Monday confirmed the rupture. The Browns said Watson will have surgery this week and miss the rest of the season but “a full recovery is expected.”
Watson’s injury triggered an ugly reaction from some fans.
As he was being assisted by the team’s medical staff and Thompson-Robinson begin warming up, there was some derisive cheers and boos from the stands.
Cleveland fans have been unhappy about Watson, who has been accused of being sexually inappropriate with women.
The reaction didn’t sit well with several Watson’s teammates, including star end Myles Garrett, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who was appalled by the fans’ behavior.
“We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall,” Garrett said.
Winston also admonished the uncomfortable celebration.
“I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years, and he put his body and life on the line for this city every single day,” he said. “The way I was raised, I will never pull on a man when he’s down, but I will be the person to lift him up.”
On Monday, Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward, who is from Cleveland, said the misplaced passion was disappointing.
“Everyone has to be better than that,” he said. “Regardless of what you may think of a person or what someone’s been through or whatever the situation may be, that doesn’t make it right or make it any better for you to kick a man when he’s down.”