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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during Sunday's (October 20) loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, which will require surgery and effectively end his season, the team confirmed in a statement shared after Watson underwent an MRI on Monday (October 21).
"Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) this morning confirmed that Deshaun Watson sustained a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the second quarter of yesterday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The injury will require surgical repair, and Deshaun will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. A full recovery is expected," the Browns said in a statement shared on their social media accounts.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski previously said "it looks like" Watson suffered a torn Achilles during his postgame press conference on Sunday.
"That's what it looks like," Stefanski said when asked about an Achilles diagnosis, but specified that Watson would undergo additional tests, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Watson appeared to take a bad fall on a non-contact play with 1:21 remaining in the second quarter and immediately clutched at his right ankle. Players from both teams stood near Watson on the field before he was taken off the field in a cart.
The Browns replaced Watson with Dorian Thompson-Robinson after backup Jameis Winston was inactive as the emergency third quarterback prior to kickoff, though Winston finished the game, throwing for 67 yards and one touchdown on 5 of 11 passing. Watson, who is in his third season of a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal, threw for 128 yards on 15 of 17 passing in Sunday's game prior to the injury.
Watson has struggled throughout the 2024 NFL season, posing the lowest QBR of all qualified quarterbacks through his first five games. The former Clemson standout was booed by the home crowd during player introductions, which was followed by thunderous cheers for running back Nick Chubb, who returned for his first game since a season-ending injury early in the 2023 season and recorded a touchdown in the first half of Sunday's game.
The Browns have now lost five consecutive games and six of their first seven.