‘I Don’t Understand’ — Browns Hosts Blast Fans Blaming Media for Deshaun Watson-Shedeur Sanders Decision

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation has somehow become even louder after one game. Deshaun Watson definitely had an off day for the Browns against the Jacksonville Jaguars when opening the new NFL season, but Shedeur Sanders is still the man that the fans keep mentioning whenever the Browns' offense sputters. But now, the discussion has shifted from Watson's play to whether anyone ever wanted Watson to be quarterback in the first place.

This discussion did not go over well with radio hosts Ken Carman and Anthony Lima on the Cleveland station 92.3 The Fan. The discussion on the radio program on September 15 was regarding fans blaming the media for wanting Watson to play over Sanders in light of Sunday's events.

Ken Carman And Anthony Lima Push Back On Watson-Sanders Narrative

The Browns made their choice before Week 1. Head coach Todd Monken handed Watson the starting job over Sanders, giving him another opportunity after his long injury absence; however, Watson's first regular-season outing did little to calm the noise.

"I don't understand where the hell that Sunday performance had anything to do with, 'oh, you're wearing this now'…"

The Browns lost 34-10 to the Jaguars, with Watson completing 11 of 17 passes for 100 yards and an interception through the first three quarters. He did throw a 46-yard touchdown pass late; however, much of his production came after the Jaguars had already built a huge lead.

That brought the criticism back quickly. Some fans blamed the Browns for choosing Watson, while others pushed the idea that media members had wanted him to win the QB battle; however, the Cleveland radio host was not buying that explanation

C arman and Lima were specifically responding to fans claiming the media wanted Watson to start instead of Sanders. The point was pretty simple: Watson's Week 1 performance created its own discussion, and there was already plenty of history behind the reaction. Watson entered the season having played only 19 games for the Browns since joining the team in 2022. His stint has been interrupted by injuries, while his production has fallen well short of what the Browns expected when they gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.

The preseason had already shown how tense the relationship with fans had become. Watson was booed at the Browns home stadium, and he later said the reaction felt personal.

Monken, meanwhile, has repeatedly f ramed the QB decision around football. He said the staff's job is to put the player on the field who gives Cleveland the best chance to win. That puts Watson in a tough spot heading into Week 2. The Browns are still sticking with him against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , while Sanders remains the obvious name waiting behind him.

However, after the Jacksonville loss, the conversation is no longer just about who should start but also about how long Cleveland can keep Watson there if the results do not change.