In the team’s routine end-of-the-season physical exams, the Cleveland Browns uncovered a setback to Deshaun Watson’s Achilles injury.
Watson re-ruptured his tendon in early January, and the quarterback had a second surgery to repair the tear.
Although rumors persisted that this injury occurred outside of the team-approved rehab process, neither the organization nor the player had corrected those misconceptions.
Browns GM Andrew Berry finally put the rumors to rest by providing an update on Watson’s setback during his NFL Combine press conference on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, he turned his ankle that caused the re-tear during the normal stages of the recovery process. I know there’s been a lot of speculation and everything out there, but there’s nothing nefarious. It’s just an unfortunate accident. Our focus is on making sure that he gets healthy and can be back,” Berry said.
After revealing the second injury, Cleveland issued guidance on how long Watson would be out with the setback.
The Browns said in their January statement that Watson would miss a significant portion of the 2025 season, leaving a void at the quarterback position for the upcoming campaign.
Watson has been a lightning rod for criticism since arriving in Cleveland in 2022 as the team gave up three first-round picks and other draft considerations to acquire him from Houston.
His five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract has been another issue as his enormous salary cap hit has handcuffed the team’s ability to acquire free agents this season.
Through three seasons, Watson has yet to play beyond seven games in any campaign as he suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries the past two years and dealt with off-the-field issues during his first season in Cleveland.
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