As the preseason game draws near, the talk around Cleveland is that veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson holds the edge for the starting role. That narrative is not sitting well with the Browns fanbase, as many of whom want to see Shedeur Sanders take the reins, and caught right in the middle of it all is Watson’s quarterback coach.

Quincy Avery, a private NFL QB coach and close friend of Watson since their high school days, fired back at a fan who accused him of being against Sanders and his supporters.

“I wish you guys understood that you all care about the Browns way more than I do. I don’t follow that man [Hellion “Boog” Knight] don’t know what he’s talking bout,” Avery replied on X.

The back-and-forth actually began with a cryptic post by Avery on X that quickly drew attention from the Sanders fanbase, as they assumed the coach was referring to them.

“The fandom you see on this app is ungodly. Unbecoming of an adult to feel that way about another adult,” Avery wrote.

Although it was not immediately clear which fandom he was targeting, the comments section filled up almost entirely with Browns-related responses.

One fan summed up the mood by replying, “Satan’s working overtime,” while tagging Hellion “Boog” Knight, leader for Young Money APAA Sports & Entertainment and media manager for Sanders.

In all fairness, Watson has been facing strong dissent from Dawg Pound and critics who do not believe he should be the Week 1 starter.

“Anybody who’s heard me talk about, about this situation knows how much I like railing of, on the Cleveland Browns and the embarrassment they are for trying to convince us that Deshaun Watson is a realistic option here,” Yahoo Sports’ senior writer Frank Schwab said in late July.

The major reason for not having faith in Watson is availability and performance. A recurring Achilles injury cost him all of 2025, limiting him to 19 games over four seasons in Cleveland and a 1-6 record in 2024.

By contrast, Sanders ended the 2025 season with a 3-4 record. However, that chance to start came only after the Browns fanbase booed then-head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Dillon Gabriel at home.

The tension around the quarterback battle shows how divided the fanbase is. On one side are those who see Watson as the veteran who deserves another chance, especially because of the huge contract the Haslams gave him. On the other are those who believe Sanders has earned the role through performance and fan support.

But head coach Todd Monken and the staff are still evaluating the two based on their performances in training camp and preseason games. So, Cleveland will likely name its starter by the third preseason game or before Week 1.