Myles Garrett, LeBron James chide fans for cheering Deshaun Watson’s Achilles injury: ‘I can’t judge him for what he does off the field’

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday.

Browns fans are not sorry to see him go. Fans in the Cleveland stands booed Watson in pregame introductions, then reportedly cheered after he went down with his injury. After the game, Browns players, including All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, chastised those fans for their reaction.

Garrett took them to task in his post-podium remarks.

“It was tough, the reaction the fans gave,” Garrett said. “Whether it’s an opponent going down or one of our own, we don’t boo. We don’t boo guys who get hurt on the field, especially when the cart comes out.

“We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and ashamed of ourselves as fans to boo anyone and their downfall, to be a season-changing, career-changing injury.”

Garrett: “I can’t judge him for what he does off the field”

Garrett then appeared to acknowledge the context surrounding the Browns regarding Watson, who joined the team in 2022 amid allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct by more than 20 women.

“The man is not perfect,” Garrett continued. “It doesn’t have to be. None of us are expected to be perfect. I can’t judge him on what he does off the field or on the field because I can’t throw rocks from my glass.”

“But we’ve got to do better. We’ve got to get better on the football field, and we’ve got to be better as fans to have some empathy for a guy who’s doing the best he can and he’s done the best he can can until now”.

Garrett was not alone in his criticism. Cornerback Greg Newsome II and backup quarterback Jameis Winston also had harsh words for Browns fans.

Disclaimer: NSFW language in the video below:

Greg Newsome didn’t mince words regarding #Browns fans cheering when Deshaun Watson went down with an Achilles injury. He called it “collars” several times. pic.twitter.com/brdJo3Xrxv

— 𝙶𝚊𝚛𝚎 (@Spencito_) October 20, 2024

“That was bulls***,” Newsome said. “I noticed it right away. No matter how you feel about a player, performance-wise or not, you don’t boo a guy who’s down, who can’t pick himself up. So yeah, that was bulls*** .

“So any fan that says anything, they’re bulls***. It’s that simple. You don’t. Like I said, whether a guy’s playing well or not, if you’re a fan favorite, if you’re anybody thing. , you don’t boo a guy who’s sitting down, so that’s bullshit.

Newsome later reiterated his position on social media.

Winston joined the Browns this offseason to back up Watson. The Browns demoted Winston to third-string/emergency QB before Sunday’s game, and he completed 5-of-11 passes for a touchdown in relief. Dorian Thompson-Robinson played most of the 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at quarterback.

Winston had this to say about the reaction of Browns fans in the stands:

“They raised me, they taught me to love no matter the circumstances, especially for people who do you good,” Winston said after the game. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Deshaun, but I’m very upset with the reaction to a man who has had the world against him for the past four years.

“And he put his body and his life on the line for this city every day. Regardless of your perception, regardless of what you thought should happen to him, he was committed every day that I’ve been here to be the best that he can be for this team.”

Even Los Angeles Lakers star and Ohio native LeBron James, who won an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, joined the conversation on social media. He said that “booing anyone who is injured, let alone your own player, is LAME AF!!”

Cleveland fans! You know how much we’ve been through over the years, both good and bad and indifferent. That said, booing anyone who is injured let alone your own player is LAME AF!! To those who don’t 🫡

— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 21, 2024

Were fans wrong to boo Watson, cheer his injury?

Watson’s injury and mere presence with the Browns is loaded. Sunday wasn’t simply an incident of fans booing an injured player who hasn’t performed.

Watson joined the Browns amid more than 20 civil lawsuit allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct before they were settled out of court. Despite those accusations and Watson sitting out an entire season in Houston after his emergence, the Browns traded for Watson and signed him to a historic contract with $230 million in guaranteed money.

On the field, Watson hasn’t looked anything like his former Pro Bowl self in more than two seasons in Cleveland plagued by injuries and poor play. A Browns team that made the playoffs with Joe Flacco at quarterback last season entered Sunday 1-5 with an offense that ranked last in the NFL in yards per game.

And the allegations of sexual assault did not stop. Another woman accused Watson of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in September that described an alleged assault that she said took place at her apartment in 2020 when Watson arrived on a date. As with previous allegations, Watson reached a confidential settlement to settle the lawsuit out of court.

Meanwhile, Watson has been allowed to play amid a league investigation into the new allegation that commissioner Roger Goodell says is ongoing. Cleveland fans are sick of it all.

Before his injury, Watson was greeted with boos during pregame introductions.

Then came cheering news in the stands when he was injured.

Booing an injured person playing sports is taboo for good reason. It’s also fair to say that the circumstances surrounding Watson’s injury and his relationship with fans are anything but ordinary.