Overview
- Police say an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper stopped Watson on Interstate 480 on Aug. 26 and cited him for driving 86 mph in a 60 mph zone.
- Watson pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Cleveland Municipal Court and is scheduled for a bench trial on Sept. 23.
- The Browns have named Watson their Week 1 starter against the Jacksonville Jaguars and will have Shedeur Sanders active as the primary backup with Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve.
- Watson returns after two right‑Achilles surgeries that cost him the 2025 season and has played just 19 games for Cleveland since 2022, raising questions about his readiness after a mixed preseason that included boos from fans.
- Watson enters the final year of a fully guaranteed five‑year, $230 million contract, so his early‑season play and the pending court date are likely to shape Cleveland’s roster and personnel decisions in the near term.