The Cleveland Browns are preparing to name either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders their starting quarterback to open the 2026 NFL season.

Browns coach Todd Monken made it clear that Watson’s comments after Cleveland’s 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in preseason Week 2 – during which the 30-year-old quarterback unloaded on Browns fans for booing him – would not impact his decision.

“None of us like to be booed. We all like to be appreciated. I think that’s just human,” Monken told reporters over a Zoom call. “I think he emptied his heart a little bit. I don’t think that says who he is. I see the competitor in him. I see the every day work he puts in. He wants to get back to where he was as best as he can. And that’s hard. I think the moment just got him after the game, and it can get all of us.”

Watson was booed throughout his outing at Huntington Bank Field, the Browns’ home stadium, during the game against the Bills. He let it be known he thought the negative reaction he received was not related to his performance, but was actually “personal” and “disrespectful.”

“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson told reporters during his postgame news conference. “It’s a little bit more personal than that. So, I think it’s a disrespectful thing. I’m gonna keep whatever I feel with me and my family, internally, on how I feel about that and just move on.”

Watson backed up his assertion by mentioning Browns fans had cheered when he suffered his original Achilles tear on Oct. 20, 2024. He also expressed doubts whether he could “defeat the negativity” being directed at him by Browns fans.

“It’s a mental battle every day,” he said. “I feel like I get more love at road games than I do at home games.”

Monken defended Watson and explained he believed the quarterback’s disparagement of Cleveland fans came from a place of frustration about his performance.

“Deshaun spoke from the heart,” Monken explained. “We all wanna play well, as a team and individually. I think he was – there’s no question we could have coached better, played better.”

Watson certainly struggled during his second preseason outing. He completed just 5 of 12 passes for 35 yards and an interception across four drives after replacing Sanders to start the third quarter of the contest.

It was a far cry from Watson’s first preseason performance, during which he looked the part of a solid game manager, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards.

Nonetheless, Monken did not tip his hand when asked about Cleveland’s ongoing starting quarterback competition. He simply provided the final deadline for the team’s decision.

“We anticipate naming the starter tomorrow,” Monken told reporters.

Monken did, however, express any decision to name Watson a starting quarterback wouldn’t have an impact on the team’s home-field advantage despite the icy reception he has received from Cleveland fans.

“When you play well, none of the other stuff matters,” Monken opined.