Browns' Deshaun Watson to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery on Shoulder Injury

The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday that quarterback Deshaun Watson will undergo season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.

The team said Watson suffered a broken bone in his right shoulder during Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens, and surgery is required to "avoid further structural damage."

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Watson "wanted to be shot up" so he could play through the injuries, but was told after multiple medical opinions that "if he got hit again in the same spot, the shoulder could fall apart."

While Watson suffered both a shoulder injury and a high ankle sprain in Sunday's game, he led the Browns to a 33-31 come-from-behind victory.

Watson, who is in the midst of his second season with the Browns following a 2022 trade with the Houston Texans, has been ravaged by injuries over the past several weeks.

He missed Cleveland's Week 4 and 6 games with a bruised rotator cuff, returned to start in Week 7, but exited early after aggravating the shoulder ailment.

Watson missed the team's Week 8 game as well before returning to lead a 27-0 win over the Arizona Cardinals in which he threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

In Sunday's thrilling road win over Baltimore, Watson went 20-of-34 for 213 yards with one touchdown and one pick, plus he rushed for 37 yards on eight carries.

For the season, Watson's numbers were somewhat pedestrian, as he completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions in six games.

That was right in line with what he did in six starts with the Browns last season, as he completed 58.2 percent of his passing attempts for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five picks.

The main difference between 2022 and 2023 is that Watson went just 3-3 as a starter last season as opposed to 5-1 this season.

In the three games Watson missed so far this season, veteran backup P.J. Walker started twice, and rookie fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson started the other game.

DTR was overmatched in throwing for 121 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in a 28-3 loss to the Ravens, so Walker is likely to be the starter moving forward this season.

In five appearances, including two starts, the numbers have not been great for Walker, as he has completed 49.0 percent of his passes for 618 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions, but he did lead Cleveland to a road win over the San Francisco 49ers.

At 6-3, the Browns are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for second place in the AFC North and are just a half-game behind the 7-3 Ravens.

Despite not playing his best football the past couple of seasons, Watson gave the Browns their best chance to win, as he was a three-time Pro Bowler during his time in Houston.

Now, the Browns are without two of their top three offensive weapons for the rest of the season, as both Watson and superstar running back Nick Chubb are on injured reserve.

In their absence, Walker will lean heavily on No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper, while running backs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt will be heavily involved in the game plan.

Also, the Browns will count on their talented defense, which ranks first in the NFL in total yards allowed per game and sixth in points allowed per game.

Cleveland has a tough game on tap for Week 11, as it will host the rival Steelers on Sunday.