The Cleveland Browns are one loss away from ‘is Kevin Stefanski on the hot seat?’ questions popping up. For a head coach lauded for his offensive mind and the ability to bring the best out of his QBs, neither has worked in his favor this season. The Browns are down 1-5 while the dysfunctional quarterback saga continues.

As Stefanski leads his team through a league-worst offense and the criticism grows, he says he has been able to shut out the noise. But this time, a silent sigh seems to be coming from within the team. Deshaun Watson, who remains out to rehab an Achilles injury, appears to be speaking out without directly challenging the team in the public eye.

The incident came to light when Browns reporter Nick Pedone highlighted on X that Watson had “liked” a video criticizing Stefanski’s offensive approach. The clip, uploaded by an ardent supporter, contended that all the quarterbacks under Stefanski fail but succeed elsewhere.

“This is a real, genuine question. Are we sure Deshaun Watson is even bad? I mean every quarterback: Baker Mayfield, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco; every quarterback Kevin Stefanski has had is not f—–g good. Then they go to a different team and f—–g find themselves again and are f—–g awesome,” the fan, who goes by ‘Chad the dumb Browns fan’, vented on TikTok.

Watson liking the post is stoking some rumors, and to no surprise.

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Watson’s tenure with the Cleveland Browns has been marred by injuries and inconsistent performance since his trade in 2022. Over the past three seasons, he has started just 19 games, hindered by injuries and a lengthy suspension. Watson has struggled to recapture the form that made him a top QB in Houston. His 2024 campaign ended with just seven games played, 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns, and a passer rating of 79.0, far below his peak production of 8.8 yards per attempt in Houston.

Kevin Stefanski’s quarterback struggles have been glaring. Baker Mayfield, once inconsistent with the Browns in 2021, has reinvented himself with the Buccaneers. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco shone in Cincinnati with a thrilling victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But it isn’t all about the veterans. Dillon Gabriel, the rookie whom Stefanski has chosen to rely on, has gone 0-2 in his starts, failing to put up an explosive performance. The HC has tried changing coordinators, position coaches, and handing of play calling, but nothing clicked for the 2023 NFL Coach of the Year.

While Stefanski runs around to ensure the next win against Miami (1-5), it also seems to be growing frustration for Watson. After Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called signing him a “big swing and a miss” decision in a public comment, young QBs — Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders — are being given a go by the staff. Then there’s the update on his recovery.

Kevin Stefanski’s on Watson’s injury

Just two weeks back, Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed that Deshaun was “a good month away from being cleared for any football activity.” Stefanski, however, still does not have any updates on his QB.

Daniel Oyefusi, Browns beat reporter for ESPN, quoted Stefanski’s comment, saying “no real update” on Deshaun Watson’s status. Not an ideal situation for both the Browns and Watson. And while he is still under contract and actually can play for the Browns, the franchise now would rather observe the young quarterbacks and make any return as secure and long-term.

Whether Deshaun is able to come back this season, only time will tell. As for now, the Browns will host the Miami Dolphins in their Week 7 clash, with Gabriel as QB1.