"Such a tone deaf franchise": Cleveland Browns flamed by fans for wishing Deshaun Watson "Happy Birthday" on X

The Cleveland Browns are gearing up for a must-win game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Interestingly, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is celebrating his 30th birthday on the day.

Deshaun Watson is expected to miss the 2025 NFL season after undergoing surgery to repair his right Achilles tendon in January.

The two-time Pro Bowler's stint with the Browns has been marred with controversy and when the team wished the veteran quarterback on his birthday, it faced backlash from Browns fans on social media.

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"Such a tone deaf franchise lmao."

"Admin, I know you were forced to post this, so I appreciate that you at least didn’t give him an exclamation point or emoji."

"You’ve paid him 207 million dollars to play 19 games. Happy birthday I guess."

"Admin blink twice if you need help."

"And yet you won’t wish Shedeur a happy birthday. Stefanski has done irreparable harm to this organization."

"The social media team knows this creates replies and impressions 😂"

Watson signed a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns after being traded by the Houston Texans in March 2022. However, in his three years with Cleveland, Watson has played just 19 games.

Deshaun Watson's wife posts heartfelt message for Browns quarterback on 30th birthday

While Deshaun Watson's blockbuster contract has been labelled as a bust by many, his off-field issues have added to the criticism against the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

Watson shared an Instagram post on Saturday, showcasing his training regimen since his surgery in January.

"I'm happy where I'm at," Watson said in the clip. "Leave it all in God's hands, man, and just keep following the course."

Watson's wife, Jilly Anais, posted a lengthy message on Instagram for the quarterback on his 30th birthday:

"I’m in awe of the way you rise, love, and endure; it leaves me forever grateful to be yours. Life makes sense because I get to live it with you. What a gift it is to share this journey with you. I thank God for you LoveBug! I got your back more than your spine.. beleeDat!"

While Watson is not expected to take the field this season, the Browns are under pressure to win the Week 2 clash against the Ravens after a one-point defeat against the Bengals in the season opener.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash