Deshaun Watson sends ominous warning over disrespect in 2023 NFL QB rankings

2023 is a huge year in Deshaun Watson's career. This will be the first time since 2019 that he's going to play a season under normal circumstances.

The last three years have seen the pandemic, his holdout in 2021 and an 11-game suspension due to multiple claims of sexual harassment.

There's a lot of doubt about his current level. He did not play in 2021 and once he returned from the suspension last season, he wasn't the same star quarterback we were used to watching during his Houston Texans days. As a result, many analysts are not pointing to him as an elite quarterback for the upcoming season.

During an event for the Cleveland Browns Foundation last month, Deshaun Watson was asked how he feels about the upcoming season and his critics:

"I missed two years of football, so if I was in their shoes, I wouldn’t put myself in that position either. I got to go out there and prove it and that’s what I’m looking forward to. So those opportunities for me this upcoming season, I have to take advantage of it."

His words were reminiscent of his response to being overlooked in the draft back in 2017. Here's what he said to NFL Network's "Good Morning Football":

“You’re gonna have to live with the consequences that come with it. That’s how I see it. I try to stay in my lane. I try not to take the path. I respect Mitch and what he’s done and all the hype he’s getting, but at the same time, my result speaks for itself. I feel like I’ve accomplished everything that I could. I guess if that’s who they’re gonna roll with, so be it.”

Why was Deshaun Watson suspended for 11 games in 2022?

In 2021, it became clear that Deshaun Watson wanted to leave the Houston Texans due to the front office's decisions. A huge scandal broke shortly afterward, and Watson was accused by more than 20 women of sexual misbehavior.

As a result of this, and the situation with the Texans, Watson sat out the season.

Watson was not indicted by a grand jury, and so the Cleveland Browns took the opportunity to trade for him. They then gave him a mammoth $230 million deal, fully guaranteed.

However, lawsuits were then filed in civil court, and after a 15-month investigation, the NFL reached a decision regarding a suspension. At first, the suspension was too light (six games), which received a huge outcry from the NFL world.

Commissioner Roger Goodell appealed the decision, and after meeting with the NFLPA and Watson's attorneys, an 11-game ban was agreed.

Deshaun Watson then settled his cases out of court with his accusers. It is possible that the ordeal isn't yet over, as there could be more accusers out there, but the situation appears to be over.