QB Deshaun Watson (9.11.24)
Opening Statement from Chief Communications Officer Peter John-Baptiste:
“Before we roll, everyone in this room got Deshaun’s (Watson) legal representative’s statement. So, this press conference is really just going to be about football. I’ll open it up.”
Deshaun, I know it’s all going to be about football but can you just comment on the statement that Rusty (Hardin) put out so we hear just your thoughts about what he said?
“Yeah, I mean, the statement is the response that we talked about and, you know, everything that he put in that statement is exactly how I’m feeling and what we’re going through this process with.”
How do you not let this become a distraction as you prepare for Jacksonville?
“I focus on football. I focus on keeping the main thing the main thing. And that’s when I walk into this building focusing on being the best quarterback I can be, on the game plan and trying to be better than we were last week so we can get a W.”
Deshaun, how much impact…with everything that’s going on in your life that you talked about after the game. Did that affect you Sunday? Just how much is all this affecting you off the field?
“Yeah, like I mentioned Sunday, I don’t like to make excuses or anything like that. Those three hours, four hours we’re on the field, I got to lock in and do my craft and execute my plan as a quarterback. So, you know, again, I’m not going to sit up here and make any excuses for anything that’s off the field is what’s causing on the field. So, you know, I just got to be better this week, and I will be better. And we’re going to continue to grow each and every week to get to where we want to ultimately be at the end of the year.”
Did you have any idea that this lawsuit was coming when you were playing Sunday?
“No, sir. I found out exactly whenever everyone else found out.”
Deshaun, were you surprised when you did find out?
“Yes, ma’am.”
How much thought have you given to the possibility that the league could come after you once more for the personal conduct policy?
“I haven’t had any thought, honestly. My focus is again is figuring out Jacksonville’s plan on defense and focusing on my craft to be the best quarterback I can be on Sunday for this team. You know, that’s something that, you know, the NFL has to do on their time and I have to focus on what’s in front of me right now.”
So what do you do to get better from last Sunday to this Sunday?
“You fix the mistakes. You have to overall—it’s all of us—it’s not just me. It’s not just another player. We all got to be on the same page. A lot of self-inflicted penalties and mistakes that we had. Just miscommunication within the route concept. So we just getting on the same page, you know, and keep working. And that’s all we can do is keep our, you know, head and eyes focused on the plan that Kevin (Stefanski) and Ken (Dorsey) is trying to, you know, present to us. And we got to execute that throughout the week so we know it. We can execute that on Sunday.
Does anybody regret not playing in the preseason?
“No. That hasn’t crossed our minds. No.
Deshaun, the Monday morning quarterback stuff, it looked like you had some time to make some plays on Sunday. When you went back and you looked at it, did you feel that way, that there was some stuff that you could have hit on? And I guess, how do you, going forward here, Jacksonville and on into the season…How do you start making those plays again because we’ve seen you make those plays in the past?
“Most definitely. You just watch the tape, you see what’s out there. You try to slow the game down as much as possible. And each and every week, the game kind of slows down because the more timing you get, the more reps you get at playing the game at a full speed. And you just kind of find those little things, the small things that you have to master before the big things can take care of itself. So, I mean, you hit it perfectly. It’s just watch that tape on Monday, you figure out, ‘okay, what did I do wrong, what I didn’t do wrong, what was my decision making?’ You grade yourself, you have to be very strict with yourself, and you have to really be honest. And if you can do that, then you know you’re getting better, and you have to apply it this week. And that’s the key is, starting today is, just get out on the practice field, throughout these meetings is, applying everything that you wanted to correct on Monday, from the previous game.”
Deshaun, you said you’re not worried about another potential suspension. But how important is it for you to remain on the field given that you haven’t been able to play much in the last three years?
“I mean, it’s very important. You know, availability is one of the biggest things. You got to be available for your teammates, to be out there to go help win. So, again, you know, I have to focus on what today brings, and today is Wednesday and getting ready for these meetings and for this practice. And we’ll have to see what happens.”
Are you concerned about getting pulled away to have to go to New York to do another interview with Lisa Friel for this investigation?
“It haven’t crossed my mind. So, you know, at the time being, I’m just focusing on Jacksonville. And, if that happens, that happens then, you know, whatever I have to do with the Browns or my legal team, then that time will come. But right now, like I said, and my legal team spoke on is just focusing on football.”
Deshaun, the attorney for the woman who filed the suit just released a statement saying that they came to your legal representation ten months ago about a private settlement. Is that true? Because you just recently said that you became aware of these allegations and this suit on Monday.
“I missed the last part you said.”
You just recently said that you were aware of the allegations when the civil suit came out on Monday and the attorney for the women that filed the suit said that they came to you with a private settlement about ten months ago. Do you want to speak to that, or what do you think?
“Yeah, I have no idea. I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t spoke with anybody, so I’m not sure. I’m not aware of that.”
You’ve been through obviously a lot in the last couple of years, and you keep maintaining your innocence. I’m just wondering, why do you think the organization and the fans should believe you or trust you on that?
“You know, I can’t speak for the fans. I can’t speak for anybody outside this building. But I know that hearing from the Haslams and AB (Andrew Berry) and those guys, I know that they tell me each and every day that they support me, and they got my back and that they want me to focus on being the best quarterback I can be. So that’s all I can do is just speak my truth, tell them the truth. They talked with my legal team and everyone that was a part of this whole process. And they have to make their decision, and that decision was to, give me the opportunity to come be their franchise quarterback to help this team win.”
Why does this keep happening?
“I’m in the same boat as you, boss man.”
Is it fair to say that this particular allegation was not made aware at the time you came to Cleveland?
“I’m not sure. As I mentioned before, I found out this allegation and this file exactly when everyone else found out. Found out through media, saw it popped up on my phone, and then I called my attorneys and asked them what it was.”
Is it possible that….
Peter John-Baptiste: “We’re going to go back to keeping the focus on football.”
If I can just get this. Is it possible that Rusty just kind of let this…I mean, did not inform you about this one because they didn’t want to continue to have to do settlements and so you wouldn’t have known about it, but maybe you’re legal team did?
“I’m not sure. That’s a question for Rusty.”
There was a quote from Doug Pederson, Jaguar’s coach, that he said it looked like the offense is trying to still get on the same page with you. Do you feel like that at all? You know, new offense, new guys, new pieces in the huddle. Do you feel like you guys are still trying to get on the same page?
“Yeah, it’s going to be a working progress for sure. I think new pieces, new guys, first live football together. It’s going to take time. A lot of times if you haven’t been with the guys for multiple years, especially the core group of skill guys, then it’s going to take a little bit to figure out what is everyone good at, what are we good at, what is the identity that we want to put out there on the field? You know, it might take a couple weeks and we might find our identity this week. I think each and every week is a great opportunity for us to go out there and test ourselves against a very, you know, very, very good opponent in Jacksonville in a great environment and go out there and see what we can put out there and try to get a W.”
What’re you looking to process out there, looks like at practice trying to correct some of the issues on that offensive line to protect you and you guys working together. What do you hope that looks like as this week goes on in preparation for week two?
Yeah, just being better. You know, just whatever that leads to, if that’s quick game, drop back, chip slides, whatever the play call is, making sure we’re all on the same page and knowing how much time I have to hold the ball. So just being able to get on the same page with one another and knowing where the ball needs to go at the right time. So, if we’re all playing on the right time in the right string, all 11 guys, then I think we can be very successful.”
How’d the shoulder hold up? How’d you feel Monday morning after the adrenaline finally wore off?
“Yeah, I was a little sore for sure. I think just overall soreness, but the shoulder was completely fine.”
How much of a player’s standing in the locker is based on what they do on the field versus off the field?
“I missed the first part.”
How much of a player’s standing reputation in the locker room, you’re a captain, how much of that is based on what you do on the field versus off the field?
“Can you explain exactly what you’re asking, though?”
How much of your status in the locker room, ability, leadership, how much guys trust in you come from what you do during games versus what you do outside of games?
“So, you’re saying, like you’re trying to like…and I’m serious, I’m trying to figure out what you’re asking. Like the off the field stuff compared to on the field stuff mixing together as far as?”
You’ve obviously been in a lot of locker rooms. How much of your teammates’ trust in you come from what you do on the field versus off the field?
“I mean the trust has always been there. You know, so I think the guys, they trust me. If there’s anything that’s out there, you can go ask any one of those guys and they’ll give you an honest answer. So, I can’t speak for anybody else, but for what the guy’s been showing me and what they tell me and shake my hand and come to my locker and on the field, dap me up and say to my face, that’s what they’re saying, that they trust me, so.”
Do you feel you need to have a conversation with them when something pops up in the news?
“No, because they know my character. They see me each and every day. They know exactly who I am and I think that’s the difference. When you’re around me each and every day, you know my aura, you know my energy, you know my character, I think you’ll understand who I really am.”
Deshaun, Dallas (Cowboys) really brought the pressure on Sunday. Obviously, you felt it with the 17 times you got hit. Jacksonville, similar up front, they like to bring the heat. So how do you, after going through that experience Sunday, how do you get back to turning that into an advantage for you? That used to be such a big part of your game where when teams came after you, you really made them pay. So how do you kind of get back to taking advantage of the pressure they bring on you and turning those into the big plays?
“I think the biggest thing, we got to be successful on first down. You know, we got to start off positive. You know, we got to start the drive, we got to get a first down on the drive. You know, if we got to create some type of success, you know, early in the downs to be able to open up the playbook and do what we exactly want to do. But, you know, like you said, Jacksonville has an elite front; (Travon) Walker, (Josh Hines-Allen) Allen, those guys, (Arik) Armstead, you know, they like to bring the heat. They’re very athletic, they’re very tough, very fast, and they play super, super hard. And, you know, we got to make sure that we’re playing throughout the whistle and be able to execute down the field. If I do break outside the pocket or even if I’m sitting in the pocket—the receivers got to win their matchups and, you know, that’s the test that we got to make sure that we try to win on Sunday.”
What’s your challenge without David Njoku?
“Yeah, Dave is a big part of our offense. He’s very versatile, he can do a lot of different things. But, you know, we have trust in Jordan Akins and, you know, not sure exactly who we’re going to bring up or what type of personnel grouping that we’re going to have on Sunday. But, you know, whoever is available and that’s active, I know those guys are going to be ready and we got to roll with that.”
Did you notice that there was a longer recovery period for you on Sunday compared to maybe other seasons coming back from the shoulder injury, did it feel different?
“As far as, like, because it was a later game? Is that what you’re saying?
No, just in terms of postgame. What your normal weekly routine would be coming off of a game? Recovery period, treatment, whatever that is, getting into the next week, did that seem longer or different in years past?
“No, ma’am. Kind of very similar. You have a little bit more downtime, but it was, to me, kind of similar to what I’ve had since I’ve been in Cleveland for sure.”
How did you feel about the play calling on Sunday? Not the plays that were called, but the fact that Kevin’s calling the plays and Dorsey brought in some of the plays.
“I mean, it wasn’t no different or anything like that. We just got to execute the game plan.”