Inside the Implosion: How the Deshaun Watson Experiment Created a Crisis in Cleveland

The air in Berea, Ohio, has been thick with a palpable tension, a “constant heaviness” that has permeated the Cleveland Browns’ locker room for the better part of two years. A bombshell report from The Athletic has finally shed light on the source of this unease, exposing a deep-seated disconnect between the organization and its franchise quarterback, Deshaun Watson. The report, which draws on interviews with multiple sources within the team, paints a damning picture of a franchise that has bent over backward to accommodate a player who has, by all accounts, failed to live up to the astronomical expectations that accompanied his arrival.

At the heart of the issue lies a fundamental clash of football philosophies. For three seasons, head coach Kevin Stefanski has attempted to build an offensive identity around a system that has proven successful with other quarterbacks. However, Watson, a player who has historically thrived in a shotgun-heavy, spread-out offense, has reportedly been resistant to Stefanski’s under-center, play-action-oriented approach. This has resulted in a disjointed and often ineffective offensive attack, leaving the team without a clear sense of direction. The frustration among teammates has been mounting, with many feeling that the organization has catered to an “ineffective” quarterback at the expense of the team’s overall success.

The report’s most stunning revelation comes from an anonymous organization member who claimed that Joe Flacco, the veteran quarterback who was signed off the street and led the Browns to the playoffs last season, learned the offense in 30 days more effectively than Watson has in two years. This single, damning quote encapsulates the frustration that has been simmering beneath the surface in Cleveland. It also raises serious questions about the decision-making of General Manager Andrew Berry, who allowed Flacco to walk in free agency, a move that many now believe was made to avoid a quarterback controversy and the inevitable fan chants for the beloved veteran.

The organization’s attempts to placate Watson have extended beyond the field. The firing of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, a well-respected coach who had been with the team since 2020, was seen by many as a direct result of the team’s desire to find a play-caller who could better cater to Watson’s specific skill set. The hiring of Ken Dorsey, who has experience working with mobile quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Cam Newton, was a clear indication that the Browns were once again willing to alter their offensive identity to suit their embattled quarterback. However, for many within the organization, this was the “beginning of the end,” a sign that the team was “bending over backwards” to accommodate a player who had not earned such preferential treatment.

The fallout from Van Pelt’s dismissal was not limited to the coaching staff. The departure of highly-regarded offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who subsequently joined his son, Brian, in Tennessee, is now being viewed in a new light. The report suggests that Callahan’s decision to leave may have been influenced by the firing of Van Pelt, a move that he may have seen as the organization making a scapegoat out of a good coach in order to protect Watson.

The preferential treatment of Watson extended to the film room, where, according to multiple players, his mistakes were not pointed out with the same level of scrutiny as other players. This is in stark contrast to the way that Jameis Winston, who has stepped in for the injured Watson, has been coached. While some may see Stefanski’s approach as an attempt to protect the confidence of a player who has been through a tumultuous few years, others view it as a clear double standard that has eroded the trust and accountability within the locker room.

The “constant heaviness” that has surrounded Watson since his arrival in Cleveland has been a burden on the entire team. The cloud of his off-field issues, combined with his on-field struggles, has created a palpable sense of unease. When Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, a devastating blow for any player, some veterans reportedly felt that a “cloud had been lifted.” This is a stunning admission, a clear indication that the weight of the Watson experiment has been felt by everyone in the organization.

As for Watson’s future in Cleveland, it appears to be on life support. The report predicts that he will not play in 2025 as he recovers from his second Achilles tear and will likely be placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The most likely scenario, according to the report, is that the Browns will designate Watson as a post-June 1, 2026, release, a move that would allow them to gain some much-needed cap relief and split the dead money hit over two seasons.

The Deshaun Watson trade will go down as one of the most polarizing and, ultimately, disastrous moves in NFL history. The Browns mortgaged their future, trading away a haul of draft picks and signing Watson to a record-breaking, fully guaranteed contract, all in the hopes that he would be the franchise-altering quarterback they have been searching for since their return to the league in 1999. Instead, they have been left with a fractured locker room, a crisis of identity, and a financial burden that will cripple them for years to come. The “heaviness” that has plagued the Browns for the past two years may soon be lifted, but the scars of the Deshaun Watson experiment will remain for a long, long time.