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ESPN announcer Troy Aikman didn’t hold back in his brutal assessment of the Cleveland Browns’ failures when Deshaun Watson was the starting quarterback.

In 2022, the Browns gave Watson a 5-year, $230 million contract extension. So far, that massive financial commitment has not led to much success on the field. That was only amplified in the 2024-25 season when Watson was 1-6 as a starter before getting shut down for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

Jameis Winston was then thrust into the starting role. Going into Monday night’s game against the Denver Broncos, he was 2-2.

During the second quarter of that game, Aikman took a moment to elaborate on the team’s disastrous season and wondered how the Browns would have fared if Watson wasn’t the starting QB at first.

“You know, this is a tough league,” Aikman said. “And we all talk about parity; but when it comes to your hometown team, nobody wants to hear it. And [Browns coach Kevin Stefanski] is an outstanding football coach and he’s proven that. Two-time Coach of the Year. What he did to that group last year to get them in the postseason — they started four quarterbacks, they were decimated with injuries. And I get it. You know, this year hasn’t been what people thought coming in; but the albatross is Deshaun Watson that. If you go to

Jameis Winston earlier in the year, does this look different? Because I would say the defensive struggles, in at least a small part, have had to do with how inept the offense has been moving the football. I think it’s affected the defensive play, as well.”

Watch above via ESPN

Tags: Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson, Monday Night Football, NFL, Troy Aikman