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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson undergoes shoulder surgery
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- Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson undergoes shoulder surgery
BEREA — Deshaun Watson underwent surgery on his right shoulder in Los Angeles, the Browns announced Tuesday.
"Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson underwent surgery today to repair a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder," the team's statement read. "The surgery was performed by Neal ElAttrache, MD, in Los Angeles and was deemed successful. The rehab process is scheduled to begin on Friday, and a full recovery is expected prior to the start of the 2024 season."
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Watson sustained the injury during the Browns' 33-31 win at the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 12. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve last Wednesday.
Rookie fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson started in Watson's place in last Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers . He is also expected to start when the Browns (7-3) play at the Denver Broncos (5-5) on Sunday.
Fourth-year pro P.J. Walker is the only other quarterback on the active roster. The Browns signed longtime Baltimore Raven and former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco to the practice squad Monday.
The injury that led to Watson's surgery remains a mystery of sorts. There was no indication of the specific issue by the quarterback, either during or immediately after the Ravens game.
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It wasn't until the Browns announced Watson was having the surgery last Wednesday that the fractured glenoid was revealed. The only shoulder issue he was known to have had before the announcement was a rotator cuff strain he suffered in Week 3 that cost him all of three games and most of a fourth in October.
When did Browns QB Deshaun Watson injure his shoulder?
Neither Watson nor general manager Andrew Berry, when asked to say when it occurred in the game, could pinpoint the exact play.
"It's really hard to say, I guess," Watson said last Wednesday. "I mean, I felt something pretty much throughout towards the end of the first quarter. I kind of recognized something was wrong, but during the midst of the game I was just pushing through whatever I was feeling. So, and then after the game, and Monday and Tuesday we got testing done and that's when I found out from the doctors that it was something worse than what we thought it was."
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson stands on the sidelines during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in Cleveland.
Watson played his best half of football in the second half against the Ravens, leading the Browns from down two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter to a game-winning 40-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins as time expired. He was 14-of-14 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown, while rushing three times for 18 yards, along with a 2-point conversion.
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All of that was done not just with the broken bone in his shoulder, but also a high ankle sprain. That occurred late in the first half when Watson was sacked by Baltimore's Jadeveon Clowney .
Watson said last week the ankle wouldn't have cost him playing time.
"Oh, for sure," Watson said. "Yeah, I would've. That was my mindset. I said, just coming in, look at the shoulder, shoulder be fine, dealing with whatever we're dealing with, and then make sure we focus on the ankle enough so I can go out there and perform. But it took a different turn."
Before injuries, 2023 was chance for Deshaun Watson to re-establish himself as top NFL quarterback
That's essentially been the story of Watson's season, which was supposed to be his chance to re-establish himself among the top quarterbacks in the league after having spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons essentially off the field because of self-created issues. There was a contract dispute with his original team, the Houston Texans , before the first of what became more than two dozen allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct toward women during massage appointments became public.
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The T exans traded the three-time Pro Bowler to the Browns on March 18, 2022, with both lawsuits and a pending NFL punishment hanging over him. He eventually settled all but two of the lawsuits, while serving what ultimately turned into an 11-game personal conduct policy suspension from the league.
Watson went 3-3 in his six games for the Browns last season, showing significant rust in those games. He completed 582.% of his passes for 1,102 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions and a 79.1 passer rating.
"I don't want to return as the guy in Houston, I want to be better than that guy," Watson said four days before the season opener. "So 2023, three years ago, I'm not the same guy. So I feel like I've evolved to a new level, and I'm ready to be able to show that.
"Last year was a tricky time where I was learning everything, but I don't want to just get caught up on, 'Hey, Houston, this, Houston that.' I had a lot of fun, a lot of success in Houston, but I want to have that success and start something new in Cleveland."
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After a solid if unspectacular performance in the season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals and a disastrous Week 2 performance in a loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers , Watson had easily his best four-quarter performance in a Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans . He completed 28 of 33 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and a 123.4 passer rating.
Watson also sustained a hit to his right shoulder on a third-quarter run from Titans safety Amani Hooker , causing a rotator cuff strain that cast a pall of uncertainty over the organization for the next month.
Thompson-Robinson started on two hours' notice the ensuing week in a 28-3 loss to the Ravens. After that game, both Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski indicated they thought it was a short-term injury and that they expected Watson back after the Browns' Week 5 bye.
"I'm comfortable, just with the medical," Stefanski said the day after the Ravens game. "I know Deshaun, obviously we talked with the doctors. We, structurally, feel good about it. He's going to use this week to rest and continue to get treatment. I feel like medically we're all on the same page."
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Watson didn't make another start until Week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts . Even then, he left after 12 plays — having gone 1-of-5 passing for 5 yards with an interception — with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter after getting knocked down on a rollout.
Walker, who also started in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers and Week 8 at the Seattle Seahawks , came on to lead the Browns to a come-from-behind 39-38 win over the Colts. He went 1-1 in his two starts.
Watson returned for what the Browns thought was for the rest of the season in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals . He was impressive in the 27-0 win, completing 63.3% of his passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and a 107.5 passer rating.
The next week, Watson and the Browns went to Baltimore and won a thrilling comeback. Days after that, Watson's season was over.
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Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson has shoulder surgery that puts Browns QB out for season
