As the Cleveland Browns name Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders, former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick predicts Watson will ultimately fail and lose the job. Watson returns from twice tearing his Achilles after playing just 19 subpar games since 2022.
Ryan Fitzpatrick Predicts Deshaun Watson Will Lose Starting Job to Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns ignited intense discussion across the league by naming Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback for the opening week of the season. Watson has not appeared in a regular-season contest since October 20, 2024, facing a long recovery path after twice tearing his Achilles during his tenure in Cleveland.
Appearing in the Prime Video broadcast booth during a preseason win over the New England Patriots, former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick delivered a blunt assessment of the quarterback room in Cleveland, pointing directly toward the team’s younger roster options.
“This is set up here for Shedeur. I mean, Deshaun, once he fails, Shedeur is gonna jump into this thing, and he’s gonna be the guy. And this city is gonna be behind him.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick, former NFL quarterback
When Kirk Herbstreit asked directly whether he anticipated Watson failing in the role, Fitzpatrick answered without hesitation, stating simply that it is going to happen.
Expectations for Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in Cleveland
Even though Fitzpatrick expects second-year pro Shedeur Sanders to get his opportunity to take over the offense, the former journeyman expressed caution regarding how quickly any young signal-caller can secure the position permanently. Fitzpatrick also pointed to fellow 2025 pick Dillon Gabriel as a factor in the unfolding quarterback picture.
“Shedeur’s playing this year. I think all three of these guys, I think Gabriel is going to have a chance to play as well. This is such a young roster. A lot of changing parts and a lot of new guys, so they’re gonna struggle on offense this year.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick, former NFL quarterback
Watson recorded an 80.3 quarterback rating across his difficult tenure with the franchise following his arrival in 2022. The three-time Pro Bowler also faced friction with local supporters after calling fans “disrespectful” for jeering his performance. With a young roster and mounting pressure, any early offensive struggles could prompt the coaching staff to bench Watson in favor of Sanders or Gabriel.
Steelers Prepare for Patriots Clash Following T.J. Watt’s Defensive Dominance
While Cleveland manages its quarterback situation, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand at 1-0 and face a significant challenge against the New England Patriots. The Patriots won the AFC last year and enter the matchup hungry for their first win after dropping their Week 1 contest.
Pittsburgh’s defense showed up as advertised last week despite the offense sputtering, anchored by a rejuvenated T.J. Watt. Former Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer explained on Twitter via The Greg Hill Show on Wednesday that New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will certainly design a game plan specifically targeting Watt.
“I know from playing Pittsburgh in year’s past while Josh [McDaniels] is the coordinator, the one thing he’s gonna go in and say is, ‘There’s one guy on that team who can wreck the game and it’s T.J. Watt. We have to know where he is on every single play. Make sure that he’s accounted for. If you’re one-on-one on him, you’ve gotta fight your butt off. If we’re giving help, make sure you give good help. Chip him, crack him, I would expect to see, early in the game plan, them run at him, crack him, chip him, do all of those things and let him know, ‘It’s gonna be a long day. You’re not gonna go out there and have one-on-ones with our tackles all day.’”
Watt earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording two sacks, three tackles for loss, and a defensive touchdown return against the Atlanta Falcons, effectively silencing doubters who thought he was declining. Opponents have frequently attempted to scheme Watt out of games in recent years, contributing to a dip in his production. However, new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is utilizing a fresh scheme that moves Watt around the formation and flips the outside linebackers’ sides—a tactic the Steelers discussed for years but never really put into practice.
Watt played six snaps on the right side in Week 1, compared to seeing only 12 snaps on the right side across the entire previous season, and even notched one of his sacks against Atlanta from that right-side alignment. Even if the Patriots manage to slow him down, Pittsburgh features additional difference-makers on defense, including Cam Heyward, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig.
Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.
