Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson received a championship ring yesterday—and promised to return the favor. During a 7-on-7 football event he hosts, the Cleveland-based Glenville Tarblooders presented Watson with a state championship ring the team won. The team won the OHSAA Division IV championships in both 2022 and 2023.
Watson paid for the team to create the championship rings, so it’s no surprise they would surprise him with one. He did surprise them by promising that he intends to return the favor. “I’m gonna get y’all … that Super Bowl”, he is heard saying in a video of the presentation, via Camryn Justice on X. “We’re gonna make that happen. Two rings by the end of the year, man”.
The Cleveland Browns have, of course, never won a Super Bowl. They won their first playoff game since 1994, before trading for Deshaun Watson, in 2020, and are looking for more. They did advance to the playoffs in 2023, but the Houston Texans trounced them.
Watson did not play in that game, and in fact missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury. He has been cautious about his progress throughout the offseason, the team’s training staff holding him back. It is unclear how extensively he will throw to open training camp, but likely they will ramp him up gradually.
Last season, the Browns did post a 5-1 record in the six games in which Watson played. His only loss came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who recorded a fumble recovery and interception for touchdowns against him. Overall, he went 105-for-171 passing for 1,115 yards with 7 touchdowns to 4 interceptions. Only 38.3 percent of his pass attempts resulted in a successful play.
But the Browns do have one of the best defenses in the league, and the offense has serious potential. While the status of RB Nick Chubb is critical, Watson is the most critical variable. The offense will only go as far as he goes, but they showed they can win with him last year.
Before joining the Browns, Watson spent five seasons with the Houston Texans. He made three Pro Bowls during that time, playing in only seven games as a rookie. In his final season with the team in 2021, he sat on the bench as he looked for a trade.
But he did manage to win one playoff game during his time in Houston. How close are the Browns to winning one with Deshaun Watson at quarterback? It would be simpler if they were not in the AFC North, the toughest division in football. They will struggle to top the Baltimore Ravens or Cincinnati Bengals to secure a home playoff game.
But the Browns haven’t been much closer to being a championship contender than they are now for many years, so you play the hand you’re dealt. The organization has never reached the Super Bowl, though they have played in five conference finals. They also have eight pre-Super-Bowl-era championships, which means nothing to the current Browns or to Watson.
