Watson wins Cleveland's Week 1 quarterback job

The opener is Sept. 13 at Jacksonville.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 241 min read

Just in: Deshaun Watson has been named Cleveland’s starting quarterback for week 1 at Jacksonville. https://t.co/34BNUah Via @AdamSchefter on X

What happened: Adam Schefter reported the decision Monday, ending a competition that remained open through the weekend. Cleveland made the call during the final week of the preseason.

Why it matters: The move puts Watson back atop the depth chart after two Achilles tears. It also settles Cleveland's biggest remaining lineup decision before the 2026 season.

By the numbers: Watson missed the entire 2025 season and has not played a regular-season snap since Week 7 of 2024.

What to watch: Cleveland now turns to preparing Watson for the Sept. 13 road opener.

Sources

@AdamSchefter 2026-08-24T13:59:58.551344+00:00

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