It looks like Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is willing to go down with the Deshaun Watson ship after another loss for the team in Week 5.
When the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson before the 2022 NFL season, there was renewed hope in Cleveland. The three-time Pro Bowler was one of the bright young stars in the sport before ugly off-the-field allegations derailed a promising career.
Related: Where do the Cleveland Browns land in our latest NFL offense rankings?
However, in his time with the Browns, the 29-year-old has been a shell of himself. And only seems to get worse each week. This season has taken his and the offense’s play to new lows. That was again on display in Week 5 as they managed just 13 points in another defeat. After five games, the Cleveland Browns have not scored 20 or more points and Watson has yet to clear 200 passing yards in a game.
The Cleveland offense has quickly turned into one of the worst in the NFL. And it seems like a change needs to be made at quarterback. The Carolina Panthers benched 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young after a bad start in 2024. And the Las Vegas Raiders seem ready to move on from Gardner Minshew as their starter. Yet, Kevin Stefansksi is not willing to bench the QB who has a $230 million fully guaranteed deal.
Cleveland Browns head coach remains defiant, won’t bench Deshaun Watson in Week 6
“We’re not changing quarterback. We need to play better. I need to coach better. And that’s really what it is,” Stefanski said in his post-game press conference on Sunday.
Many teams around the league don’t have great options behind their starting QB. But the Cleveland Browns have better than most. Although Jameis Winston is a failed first-round draft pick, the 10-year veteran has won 34 games as a starter in the league. Furthermore, the Browns saw the benefits of a quarterback change last year.
After suffering a season-ending injury, Watson was replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robin and PJ Walker. Both disappointed in relief. Former Ravens star Joe Flacco was signed and went on to lead the team to a 4-1 record and playoff birth in 2023.
Stefanski is 38-33 as head coach of the Cleveland Browns after five seasons and was on a very hot seat before the team’s strong finish last season.
Related: Where do the Cleveland Browns land in the NFL standings after Week 5?