Home/Articles/NFL
NFL·BREAKING·November 8, 2026 11:35 AM ET

Deshaun Watson inactive for Week 9 matchup against Saints

Rookie Shedeur Sanders takes over under center.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 9m1 min read
Post on X
NO
New Orleans SaintsNFL

What happened: Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Watson cleared the NFL concussion protocol earlier in the week but logged only one practice session before being ruled out. Rookie Shedeur Sanders will start at quarterback, with Dillon Gabriel serving as the primary backup.

Why it matters: The decision puts Sanders in line for his first regular-season NFL action as Cleveland looks to recover from a 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 1. Team officials do not view the start as an open audition and expect Watson to reclaim the starting role next week.

By the numbers: Watson has completed 163 of 249 passes for 1,806 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions in 2026 through eight games.

What to watch: Sanders leads the offense in New Orleans on Sunday before the Browns re-evaluate Watson's status ahead of Week 10.

Sources

Full injury report for NFL

More on Deshaun Watson

CONVERSATION
Loading comments…
NFLInjuryDeshaun Watson
Follow NFL Intelligence
Real-time signals and analysis
@WireReportNFL
WR Pro
The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.
$9/monthFree weekly newsletter →
RELATED STORIES
← Back to Wire Report