The Cleveland Browns just made one of the most polarizing decisions in franchise history by naming Deshaun Watson as their Week 1 starting quarterback for the upcoming NFL season. But it’s not just the decision that’s got fans talking. It’s what Watson said right before it happened.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
After getting booed off the field after the crushing 31-7 beating by the Buffalo Bills, Watson didn’t take accountability for his performance. Instead, he made it personal, essentially telling frustrated fans this wasn’t about football at all. And that’s exactly what set off NBC Sports national broadcaster John Fanta.
“It is a double bird to Browns fans, and it is as much of a disgrace that I’ve seen in pro sports,” said John Fanta on 92.3 The Fan. “For a guy that you bring in from the time that he became a Cleveland Brown, carried about as much baggage as you can carry over time. Not to mention on the field. This is a performance-based business. Never once outside of a win in Baltimore, in which he performed in the second half. I’ll give him credit for that. His performance on the field has been abysmal.
“And that is what he is getting paid to do every week. The booing, the fan reaction. Fans are allowed to react however they want. They pay money to go and see your games. And the people that stated it out on Saturday, that’s a special breed of fan, okay, after a weather delay and a half of football. And those people express their thoughts, and those thoughts are what the thoughts should have always been.”
It all started when Browns QB1 Deshaun Watson appeared in the post-game presser and called the fans’ booing “disrespectful” and “personal.” What set off Fanta was that an NFL quarterback with a massive $230 million contract who missed most of the last 3 seasons isn’t taking accountability for a crushing preseason defeat.
Continuing his appearance on 92.3 The Fan podcast with Nick Wilson and Anthony Lima, John Fanta gave the fans a clean chit and said they have the liberty to show their feelings post-game. During the preseason game on August 22, 2026, at Huntington Bank Field, Watson led the Browns squad in the second half, where he struggled heavily through multiple three-and-outs and threw an interception to the Bills defensive back Te’Cory Couch.
That moment set off the fans’ booing as the QB entered the third quarter.
John Fanta Points to Who is Behind Deshaun Watson’s QB1 Decision
However, that was not it for Fanta. While answering Anthony Lima’s question, he did not hold back further and went on to criticize the Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and the head coach Todd Monken, as he believes they are the ones to be blamed for the betrayal that the Browns fans have received as the franchise moves on to naming Watson as QB1.
“You should be angry at the person that owns Satine that admitted that he missed, and they’re continuing to try to make it work because they can’t cut him,” he said. “Now, I think Todd Monken, a big part of him getting this job was…”
The Browns’ decision came after Watson and Shedeur Sanders competed for the QB1 job throughout the offseason, and later on Todd Monken ultimately chose Watson, giving the veteran another opportunity to reclaim the role despite his limited availability and inconsistent production since joining Cleveland.
The controversy now puts even more pressure on Watson as he prepares to take over as the Browns’ Week 1 starter. The fans have made their frustration clear, but their reaction will ultimately matter less than what Watson does on the field.