Signs criticizing the Browns for including controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson on their roster were plastered all over a statue of Hall of Famer Jim Brown outside Huntington Bank Stadium in Cleveland.
The backlash comes after Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson as the team’s starting quarterback on Monday.
The signs depicted pointed comments toward Watson and previous allegations by more than two dozen women that accused the quarterback of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct while in massage therapy sessions during his time with the Texans.
On one sign, it read:
“$280,000,000
27+ Victims
Zero Supporters”
Another sign read, “Permanent Damage To The City & Franchise.”
And a third called out Watson and Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam.
“Cleveland is done with the Haslams and their freak Watson,” it read.
The QB will make his first regular season appearance in 22 months after he ruptured his Achilles tendon.
The decision to name Watson irritated an already agitated Browns fanbase that had booed Watson during the team’s 31-7 preseason loss to the Bills last weekend, which led to the QB lashing out at the fans.
He did take back some of his anger when he spoke with reporters days later after Monken named him the starter.
“Just myself getting very emotional,” Watson told reporters after being named the Week 1 starter. “Putting a lot of time in these last two years to get back, spend time at this facility and in the city, meeting a lot of different people in the community. I thought I was going to get a little different response, but I think my emotions got the best of me. My comments wasn’t intending to go at any of the fans around in the city ’cause there has been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me.
“I know the frustration. This organization has put a lot of investment to get me back in ’22 and things haven’t been going the right direction that we thought it was. A lot of injuries. A lot of time off and not putting the best football and my foot forward.”
