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Deshaun Watson is returning to the field after more than a year and a half of absence from the NFL. And while the world debates his hotly contested return, the Cleveland Browns QB has received a word of advice from an NFL legend.

Watson is expected to make his Browns league debut in the team’s week 13 game. And that clash is against his former team, the Houston Texans, further adding spice to an already dramatic sequence of events.

Advice for Deshaun Watson 

Former NFL legend Michael Vick, who has had his share of a contested NFL return, gave a word of advice to Deshaun Watson. Speaking with Shannon Sharpe on the ‘Club Shay Shay’ podcast, Vick advised Watson to “roll with the punches”

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“Don’t take it personal, you know. Especially when it’s self-inflicted. And so, you gotta roll with the punches, and you’ve got to accept your wrongs and move forward,” Vick said

He then shared his own experience, saying that it was super emotional for him for a long time. He said that Watson needs to take the emotions out of the situation.“I think that’s kind of the approach that he’s got to take moving forward. And at the end of the day, he still has an opportunity to go out and play ball and do the things he loves to do, if that’s enough to clear his conscience. In a four-hour timespan, you’re still gonna hear it, you’re gonna get echoed, and you’re gonna hear whispers,” the former QB added.

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The NFL suspended Vick, widely regarded as the pioneer of rushing style quarterback, for his role in a dogfighting ring in 2007. The first black QB to be drafted as the first overall pick, Vick played for the Atlanta Falcons at that time. He was subsequently arrested and served 18 months in federal prison. He then returned to play in the NFL for multiple teams and retired in 2016, playing his last game against the Falcons themselves for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Watson’s suspension 

Deshaun Watson last played in the NFL for the Texans in the 2020 season. During the offseason, many women alleged that he indulged in misconduct, prompting a police and NFL investigation. The QB was cleared of the criminal charges against him by a Texas grand jury. But the civil lawsuits against Watson continued. Later he settled most of the lawsuits and was handed an 11-game suspension by the NFL. The league also gave him a $5 million fine.

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Watson did not play for the Texans for the whole of the 2021 season while the investigation was ongoing. In March 2022, the Texans traded Watson to the Browns.

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Cleveland needs Watson to fire from the word go as they are currently third in the AFC North division. The team has won just four of the 11 games they have played. The Browns would count on Watson to change the situation. 

Watch This Story: Deshaun Watson stinks up the field with a forgettable performance in his first Browns appearance