Todd Monken Details Talk with Deshaun Watson After Viral Comments About Browns Fans

After Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went viral for his comments disparaging the team's fans, first-year head coach Todd Monken knew he had to address the situation.

During an appearance on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland on Tuesday, Monken detailed the conversation he had with Watson after the signal-caller declared that Browns fans were "disrespectful" for booing him during the team's second preseason game.

"I mean, after that game — I'll just say during the game and then after the game, certainly Deshaun was not in a great headspace. Let's be real honest about it," Monken said (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). "He said it after the game, he was frustrated, and didn't particularly play well. And we don't coach well and call it well around him. So, we certainly all have to own that."

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Monken went on to admit that he questioned Watson's confidence following his remarks, but the 30-year-old assured him that the instance wasn't indicative of his mindset.

"I looked at it more along the lines of a speed bump and just a blip on the radar more than the norm of what I had seen over the course of the five months being here, in terms of his confidence, how hard he's worked to get back to where he's at today," Monken said. "And he did, he came to me right after that, him and I had a good conversation, and he said, 'I'm not sure I handled that the right way. But I did have things that were on my heart.' And I asked him, I said, 'Do you feel like you've gotten rid of it?' Because it's one thing to say it. It's another thing to really believe it, that OK, I needed to get this off my chest, it's over, I just want to go out there and play great football. I've worked awfully hard to get back."

Monken added that he's confident Watson has moved past the situation, and he's making sure the three-time Pro Bowler knows that he has the support of the entire franchise.

"The only way you're going to get the best out of your players is to have a verbal contract that says, I've got your back. I've got your back, I've got you," Monken said. "That's what we've done with Deshaun, and we look forward to playing this weekend."

Watson was named Cleveland's starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders for Sunday's season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Monken made it clear that he didn't consider the fans' opinion when he decided between Watson and Sanders, but he understood the reaction afterward.

"[T]he fans just want us to win and play good football. So, I do understand some of the frustration," Monken said. "I do think that, unfortunately, it's viewed a little bit like hate and hope — is really the way I put it. The fans really just want hope. And Deshaun, over the years that he's been here, has frustrated the fans and, certainly, himself in terms of wanting to play better for the Cleveland fans and the organization. And I get where they're coming from, but ultimately, any great fanbase like ours wants to win, wants to see a great product on the field. And that's what we're aiming to do starting this week and as long as I'm the head coach here."