Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson won’t be activated from the bodily unable to carry out listing, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski advised reporters Tuesday, marking an finish to Watson’s 2025 season.
Cleveland’s highest-paid offensive participant had returned to the follow area for the primary time this season on Dec. 3, opening a 21-day window for the franchise to both activate him to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the rest of the 2025 season by Tuesday.
Watson is recovering from a number of Achilles surgical procedures since January and had been considered out for the season whereas therapeutic from the procedures.
“He is finished a terrific job with all the things that is been requested of him,” Stefanski mentioned. “I’ve gotten to see him work so onerous, whether or not it is within the coaching room, by himself within the indoor with the trainers, on the follow area now for the final bit. Simply felt like this was the suitable determination for him and for us. His focus will proceed to be to assist this soccer staff and proceed to get wholesome and get stronger and all these kinds of issues.”
Cleveland stays on the hook for another yr of Watson’s five-year contract.
He counts greater than $80.7 million in opposition to the wage cap in 2026 with a base wage of $46 million. Workforce proprietor Jimmy Haslam referred to as the Watson acquisition a “massive swing and miss” in March.
Watson, 30, has performed 19 video games with the Browns and thrown 19 TD passes since he was acquired from the Houston Texans in 2022 and signed a completely assured five-year, $230 million contract in Cleveland.
Haslam may have paid Watson $184 million when the 2025 season ends. Watson may have earned $9.68 million per recreation performed with the Browns regardless of not taking part in this season.
He was suspended 11 video games in 2022 for off-field conduct associated to sexual misconduct allegations involving greater than 20 therapeutic massage therapists. His 2023 season was reduce quick by left shoulder surgical procedure and the 2024 season ended abruptly for Watson in Week 7 due to a ruptured Achilles, lacking the ultimate 10 video games.
He had a second Achilles surgical procedure in January to restore a brand new tear in the identical tendon.
The Browns restructured Watson’s contract within the offseason — he acquired a $44 million restructure bonus — to unlock salary-cap house and signal defensive finish Myles Garrett to a four-year, $160 million contract and curb his commerce demand.
–Discipline Stage Media
