Watson motivated amid rehab: 'Gonna be way better than before'
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is using his doubters as motivation while he recovers from a torn Achilles.
"Everyone is doubting me," Watson said in a video posted to his Instagram. "Everyone don't believe in me; everyone don't think that I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself. The peace that I've been channelling these last couple of months. I know I'm gonna be way better than before."
Watson added he feels like his "back is against the wall" and has nothing to lose.
The 29-year-old passer reruptured his Achilles in January after originally sustaining the injury last October. He's set to miss significant time in 2025, if not the entire campaign.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam recently admitted that acquiring Watson in 2022 was a mistake, describing it as "a big swing and miss."
Cleveland restructured his deal this offseason to get under the salary cap, reducing Watson's cap hit for 2025 by pushing money into future seasons. He's set to earn $46 million in each of the next two campaigns, per Over the Cap. Watson originally signed a five-year, $230-million contract in 2022.
The former Houston Texans signal-caller has appeared in just 19 games for the Browns over three campaigns due to injury and suspension. He's gone 9-10, including a 1-6 mark last season.
Cleveland brought back veteran quarterback Joe Flacco on a one-year deal this week after acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason.
The Browns also hold the second overall pick in this month's NFL draft and could use it to select a quarterback.