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Before Deshaun Watson was the Cleveland Browns' quarterback, the Browns had to contend for his services with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were heavily interested in Watson, despite having a quarterback of their own, Matt Ryan.
After the Falcons went all-in on their pursuit of Watson (which included a visit to their facility), the writing was on the wall for Ryan's tenure. Ryan confirmed this on a recent appearance on the Ryen Russillo Podcast.
Ryan elaborated on how his trade to the Indianapolis Colts came to fruition. He also admitted that he'd likely remain with the Falcons if it weren't for Watson. The 36-year-old said:
"I kind of got filled into the loop that they were gonna look into Deshaun Watson. At that point, I said, 'Okay, I understand,' you know, but I also need to look into what I need to look into, and if this doesn't go down, find out if this is probably still the best fit for me. And as that week went on, and I just kind of looked into -- on my end -- what might be the best possible landing spot, or what was best for myself and my family moving forward. As we did that research, to me, it became one spot."
It's intriguing to receive these details from Ryan. It was previously unknown if the Falcons had kept him in the know about their interest in Deshaun Watson. It was also courteous of Atlanta to help Ryan land in a favorable situation with the Colts, where he can contend.
The Falcons ultimately failed to get Watson, which was a shock across the NFL. However, it worked out for Atlanta. Atlanta is suffering financially this season, but will be free of his contract starting next season while Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder compete for the starting job.
Deshaun Watson will look to be the Browns' answer at the QB position
By trading for the controversial figure that Watson is, the Browns submerged themselves in a flutter of controversy. Watson is notoriously facing 23 civil lawsuits from women alleging sexual assault and sexual misconduct.
While he's been cleared of criminal charges by two grand juries, the civil lawsuits still loom over him and the organization. These unresolved lawsuits make the fact that the Browns gave him the most guaranteed money for a player in NFL history that much more of a controversial move.
The league is conducting its own private investigation into the three-time Pro Bowler. Watson could face a potential suspension from the NFL, depending on the league's findings.
While the Falcons didn't get Deshaun Watson to return to his hometown, they dodged a public relations disaster the Browns are experiencing.
