The Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers were on Thursday Night Football this week and that, of course, put Watson in the spotlight.Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, center, poses for a portrait with general manager Andrew Berry, left, and coach Kevin Stefanski during Watson's introductory news conference on March 26, 2022, at the Browns training facility in Berea.(Jeff Lange/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)Some would want him put in crosshairs, given his history with the 27 women who filed civil lawsuits against Watson alleging sexual misconduct and assault, mostly during massage appointments between 2017 and 2020 while he was with the Houston Texans.DESHAUN WATSON GOES FROM CLEVELAND VILLAIN TO HERO IN BROWNS UPSET WIN, AS HOME CROWD TURNS JEERS TO CHEERSThose allegations were the primary reason the Texans sat Watson the entire 2021 season and traded him to the Browns in 2022.Those allegations and Watson settling all the lawsuits were the reason the NFL suspended him for 11 games his first season in Cleveland.But Michaels expects NFL fans to know these details.
And he cannot be bothered with mentioning any of them even when discussing Watson's history."If you follow football, you know the story," Michael said."We don't have to go through the whole Deshaun Watson thing."BROWNS PICK DESHAUN WATSON AS THEIR STARTING QB DESPITE HOME CROWD BOOING AND HIS '17 AWAY GAMES' COMMENTSAl Michaels attends Netflix's "America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys" at The Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug.
11, 2025.(Variety via Getty Images)We don't.
But you should go through some of it because you brought it up, Al.You started the discussion about Watson's history and how it has affected his relationship with Browns fans."It's great, all of a sudden he's got these issues," Michaels said."We all know what they were.
They make the trade for him.It looks like a terrible trade.
He's hurt.Hasn't played that much.
Can he win the fan base over?"...