CLEVELAND — Eight months after being traded from the Houston Texans, Deshaun Watson is set to make his Cleveland Browns debut on Sunday afternoon.
And suffice it to say, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is excited about the occasion.
Taking to his official Instagram account hours ahead of the Browns' 1 p.m. ET kickoff against his former team, the Texans, Watson posted a hype video commemorating his Cleveland debut. The video includes shots of Cleveland, FirstEnergy Stadium and some of his Browns teammates -- including Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, David Njoku and Denzel Ward -- as well as footage of Watson working out at the team's facility in Berea.
"Cleveland, it’s about US!" Watson captioned the video, adding the hashtags #TheLand #Browns.
You can watch the video here.
Watson's start on Sunday marks his first in an NFL regular season game since Jan. 3, 2021. The Clemson product sat out the 2021 season after requesting a trade from Houston and following several accusations of sexual misconduct, including harassment and assault, from massage therapists in the Houston area.
While Watson wasn't criminally charged as a result of the allegations, he did reach settlements with 23 accusers, with two lawsuits still ongoing. He also agreed to terms on an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine with the NFL, after an investigation found that he violated the league's personal conduct policy on the following three counts:
- Conduct that Qualifies as a Sexual Assault
- Conduct that Poses a Genuine Danger to the Safety and Well-Being of Another Person
- Conduct that Undermines, or Puts at Risk, the Integrity of the NFL
Laying claim to a 4-7 record, Cleveland is looking to keep its postseason hopes alive facing a 1-9-1 Houston team that is considered one of the worst in the NFL.