Deshaun Watson’s Mysterious Shoulder Injury Keeps Him Sidelined, Leaving Browns And Fans in Limbo

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s mysterious shoulder issue continues to keep him on the sidelines. According to Yahoo, the signal caller was medically cleared back on Oct. 2 but opted not to play in that week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Watson did not practice leading up to the game against the San Francisco 49ers, and as a result he was ruled out on Oct. 13. The quarterback reportedly has a shoulder cuff contusion, and the speculation is, because Watson isn’t really talking about it, that he can’t really throw the ball.

According to The Athletic, some of Watson’s teammates are unhappy he isn’t playing yet. 

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, with-strain-like-deep-contusion-in-rotator-cuff-wont-play-until-pain-free-mary-kay-cabot.html?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&outputType=amp&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16973047211017&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleveland.com%2Fbrowns%2F2023%2F10%2Fbrowns-qb-deshaun-watson-could-miss-multiple-more-games-with-strain-like-deep-contusion-in-rotator-cuff-wont-play-until-pain-free-mary-kay-cabot.html">Watson’s contusion functions much more like a strain, so essentially it’s going to be up to Watson and how he feels while throwing the ball before he actually takes the field. It could be a week or a month from now. But if it is determined that Watson needs surgery, which Cabot does not think is the case, he would most likely miss the rest of the season.

Kevin Stefanski, head coach of the Browns, said on Oct. 13 that Watson was able to do some light throwing and that the Browns aren’t going to rush him back.

“As, you know, trying to every day, treat it day to day,” he said. “He’s making progress. He’s working very hard but just wasn’t ready to get to the level where he could practice and be effective just yet. But he’s making progress.” Stefanski continued: “I don’t know if I want to characterize it. It’s part of a rehab. So he’s making progress, he’s getting better. He’s very disappointed. He wants to play. He wants to be able to compete with his teammates. So he’s just got to focus on getting better every day.”

This isn’t the first time Watson’s being off the field has led to controversy.

Watson once sat out an entire year as he waited for a deal that got him away from the Houston Texans amid a sexual assault scandal.

In 2021 and 2022, 26 women came forward accusing Watson of sexual misconduct and harassment, Forbes reported. Watson would purportedly set up massage appointments with female therapists, and once alone in the therapy setting, he allegedly coerced these therapists into engaging in various unwanted sexual acts.

Watson’s time in Cleveland hasn’t been anything special after the team gave up three first-round picks and gave Watson a $230 million fully guaranteed contract, knowing he would miss the first 11 games of his career as a Brown.

According to an orthopedic surgeon who talked to Cabot, the injury generally has a two- to six-week time frame, depending on the grade of the contusion.

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