BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The saying goes, “patience is a virtue.”
It’s something that Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson believes in as he tries to return to the player that led the NFL in passing in 2020.
“I have a lot of patience to be honest,” Watson said. “I have been waiting patiently for two years. Patience is not a problem for me. I just put my head down, just grind, work out and just train as much as I can to make sure when that time comes and that moment comes, we will be ready to go and roll.”
Watson hopes the Browns are equally as patient with head coach Kevin Stefanski, who has come under fire among fans and media with the Browns failing to make the playoffs for a second straight year.
“It’s very important to be able to build that opportunity and that trust and that chemistry between each other,” Watson said. “We only had four games with each other, a little bit of offseason, but we want to do that. But that hot seat stuff and all that as far media and the talk and stuff like that, people that make those decisions is doing the right thing for his organization.
“But we all trust Kevin, we love Kevin, we support Kevin, we respect Kevin and everything that he’s about the Cleveland Browns. And so, yeah, we’re going to continue to build that trust and build that chemistry and look for the future.”
With two games to play, the Browns find themselves sitting all alone in last place within the AFC North at 6-9. Disappointing for a team that had high hopes following the acquisition of Watson in March.
Watson isn’t the only player who took up for Stefanski Thursday.
“I think he's the man from the job for sure,” Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio said. “That’s above my pay grade, though, making those decisions. I have a lot of faith in him, what he’s done with our offense, the circumstances we've been under.”
Bitonio, a 2014 second round pick and the longest tenured Brown, admitted not making the playoffs with any regularity throughout his career in Cleveland has taken a toll on him.
“I'd be lying to you if [I said] it didn't take a toll,” Bitonio said. “Losing sucks and I've done a lot of that in my nine-year career here. Overall, it's tough. I want to go to the playoffs, I compete for a championship and we haven't done that enough times here. So it is, it's tough and there's no easy way to explain it.”
Despite Watson’s 11-game suspension, the Browns had their opportunities this year to win, but four of their first five losses were by three or fewer points, including blowing a 30-17 lead on the Jets with 1:50 remaining.
The Browns just couldn’t execute when it mattered most, but Watson believes the Browns are close and he’s not getting wrapped up in external conversation about Stefanski’s job security or what numbers he’s putting in the box score after games.
In four games since his return Watson has dealt with rust and some pretty lousy weather which have contributed to him completing 57.7% of his passes for 703 yards with just two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 69.3 rating.
“My main focus is winning,” Watson said. “I came to Cleveland to win the Super Bowl. By any means, if that is throwing the ball five times or throwing the ball 40 times or scoring five touchdowns or scoring zero touchdowns, as long as we win, that is all that matters and that is all I really care about.
“The stats and stuff like that, I have done that before. I have had opportunities before. I have led the league in passing before. I have scored a lot of touchdowns. Did Pro Bowls and all of that stuff. Like I said, my ultimate goal is trying to get that ring, and I am going to do whatever I can to be able to try to have the opportunity.”