Watson in concussion protocol; Shedeur Sanders set for first Browns start of 2026

Deshaun Watson woke up Monday night feeling the effects of a hit he had taken two days earlier, and by Tuesday morning the Cleveland Browns had placed their starting quarterback in the NFL concussion protocol — setting the stage for Shedeur Sanders to make his first start of the 2026 season against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Watson had taken a helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh's Jaquan Brisker — which was flagged — during the first quarter of Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Steelers. An ATC spotter called down to the sideline, and an Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant administered a gameday evaluation. Watson was cleared, returned on Cleveland's next offensive series, and finished the game with 324 passing yards, though he also absorbed eight sacks and threw no touchdowns.

During the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Steelers, Deshaun took a helmet-to-helmet hit. The ATC spotter called down to the sideline, and the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) administered a gameday concussion evaluation. Deshaun was cleared by the UNC and returned on the Browns' next offensive series. As part of the protocol, the team's medical staff evaluated him again postgame and Monday morning. Both times he showed no symptoms, passed his evaluations, and was cleared. On Tuesday morning, he reported to the medical staff that he began experiencing concussion symptoms Monday night and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.— Cleveland Browns, team statement

Delayed concussion symptoms are not unheard of, but they are far from typical in the NFL, where monitoring of players after head trauma is intense, according to Fox News. The NFL's five-step return-to-play protocol typically takes multiple days to clear, and unofficial concussion statistics show quarterbacks who enter the protocol miss at least one game more than 70 percent of the time, per Fox News.

That puts Sanders, 24, in line to start. He has appeared in two games this season but for only five snaps, completing all three of his passes for 2 yards, according to CBS Sports. His more meaningful experience came last year, when he appeared in eight games and made seven starts, throwing seven touchdown passes and 10 interceptions while completing 56.6 percent of his passes. Among 36 quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts that season, he ranked last in completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception rate, and passer rating, per CBS Sports.

The situation around Sanders has been complicated by off-field maneuvering. According to Fox News, he hired a new agent weeks ago as part of a move to potentially seek a trade after Watson solidified his hold on the starting job this offseason. A strong showing Sunday could reshape that calculus entirely.

CBS Sports notes that if Sanders does start, he would be operating in a better environment than he had last season: the Browns have upgraded their offensive line and wide receivers, with rookies Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion drawing praise. The matchup itself may also help — New Orleans' defense ranks 28th in both yards per play and yards per game, according to CBS Sports.

The stakes for Cleveland are real. At 5-3, the Browns are third in the AFC North behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, and despite being 3-0 at home, they cannot afford to fall further behind in the playoff chase, per Fox News. Third-string quarterback Dillon Gabriel remains an option if the coaching staff opts not to start Sanders, per Fox News.

Browns coach Todd Monken has indicated he is eager to see Sanders get the opportunity, according to Yahoo Sports.

Why it matters — A Watson absence hands Sanders a rare audition in a winnable game just as the Browns fight to stay in AFC North playoff contention — and could reshape both men's futures in Cleveland.

Reported by yahoo.com, foxnews.com, cbssports.com, bettorsinsider.com, brownszone.com, cleveland.com