‘I’m Not Getting Rid of All Our Players’ — Todd Monken Boldly Backs Deshaun Watson After Browns’ Devastating Jaguars Loss in Week 1
· Yahoo Sports
The Cleveland Browns started the season in a very disastrous way, as the organization suffered a 34–10 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1.
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The head coach of the franchise, Todd Monken, and quarterback Deshaun Watson had a rough week, as the result was quite shocking. The quarterback was making his first start in nearly two years after recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered in 2024 and winning the QB1 spot over Shedeur Sanders.
Jun 11, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesTodd Monken Backs Deshaun Watson After Week 1 Loss
After the disappointing defeat, the head coach was asked about the quarterback’s future and whether fans would see him again in the Week 2 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.He said:
“I’d rather just talk about today because I haven’t had time to even look at the tape,” Monken said. “I mean, I’m sure as [expletive] not firing me. I’m not firing our staff. I’m not giving up on all of our players. So, he happens to be one of 53.”
The head coach also made it pretty clear that the loss was not just because of the quarterback; the whole organization failed. He said:
“It wasn’t all him. It really wasn’t all him. I mean, that’s unfair. I certainly could have called it better and certainly could have played better around him. Certainly, there are plays I’m sure he wishes he had back. There were certain things operationally that weren’t clean enough… I’m not down. I’m disappointed.”
"I'm sure as hell not firing me. I'm not firing our staff. I'm not getting rid of all our players. He happens to be one of 53. So, we'll evaluate everything. We just didn't play good enough…didn't coach well enough." #Browns head coach Todd Monken on whether he'll stick with… pic.twitter.com/zNLRbGd29m
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) September 13, 2026
Watson was not able to deliver his best performance, completing 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 38 yards but was sacked five times, as Cleveland struggled to protect him and establish any rhythm offensively. The final result has put pressure on the quarterback, as Sanders is waiting behind Watson, which means that one wrong move could cause things to go in a different direction.
For now, Monken appears willing to give Watson another opportunity rather than make a change after one disappointing performance. However, the pressure will increase if Cleveland’s offense struggles against Tampa Bay.
It will be interesting to see how the quarterback room takes shape after a disappointing Week 1, as fans are waiting to see whether their favourite, Sanders, gets an opportunity.
A strong response in Week 2 could rebuild confidence, while another poor performance would likely make questions about Cleveland’s starting quarterback even louder throughout the organization and fan base.
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