deshaun watson

Deshaun Watson to Miss Browns' Remaining Preseason Games

Watson cannot make his regular season debut until Week 13 against the Texans

NBC Universal, Inc.

Deshaun Watson to miss Browns' remaining preseason games originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Deshaun Watson will not be stepping onto an NFL field until December.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback received an 11-game suspension on Thursday, preventing him from making his regular season debut until Dec. 4 for a Week 13 contest against his former team, the Houston Texans. The ban doesn’t take effect until Aug. 30, when NFL teams are required to cut their rosters to 53 players, so Watson is permitted to play in Cleveland’s final two preseason games.

He will not see any more preseason action, though. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Thursday that the team will not play Watson at all against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Aug. 21, or the preseason finale against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, Aug. 27.

Watson started the Browns’ first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Friday, going 1-for-5 overall for seven passing yards.

Watson can still practice with the team until Aug. 30. After that, he cannot return to practice until after the Browns’ Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 27.

In the meantime, the Browns will turn to Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Stefanski announced that Brissett will start under center on Sunday against the Eagles and expects him to be the starting QB for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.

“Very comfortable with him,” Stefanski said of Brissett. “I think he has a very good understanding of what we're trying to do offensively.”

Copyright RSN
Contact Us