Browns QB Deshaun Watson 'pushed very hard' to delay surgery until after season

Deshaun Watson was gutsy last Sunday when he led the Browns back from a 14-point deficit to beat the Ravens. Even with a sprained ankle, he didn’t throw an incompletion in the second half.

That’s why it was so surprising when the Browns announced Wednesday morning that their quarterback will miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury. Sometime during the first half of the game at M&T Stadium in Baltimore, Watson fractured the socket in his right shoulder. He’ll need surgery to repair the damage.

The Browns said they consulted the team doctor and a renowned shoulder specialist. Watson said Wednesday that he even argued to be able to play. After all, Cleveland is 6-3, with the Steelers next on the schedule.

“I pushed very hard (to play), to the point where all the experts and doctors were the ones that told me there’s no chance,” Deshaun Watson told reporters after the Browns announced the stunning injury news.

“I pushed as far as I possibly could to get back out there and just try to play and push it toward after the season. (And) I think the best situation for longevity and my career is to get immediate surgery. That’s what all the experts said, so I gotta follow their footsteps and go from there.”

Watson has had issues with his right shoulder for most of the season. He’s already missed three games. But he finally was feeling healthy enough to play. However, the Browns found themselves down 17-9 at halftime, then 31-17 in the fourth quarter. But in the second half, Watson was a pristine 14 of 14.

Watson started the comeback with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Moore with 9 minutes to go in the game. And then there was the pick six by Greg Newsome, who scored 40 seconds later.

The Browns got the ball back for one final drive. The key play was a 17-yard reception from Deshaun Watson to Amari Cooper. Dustin Hopkins nailed a 40-yard field goal on the game’s final play for the 33-31 victory.

Watson mentioned to doctors that he had a different sort of pain in his shoulder. On Monday, he had an MRI to check for damage to his left ankle and right shoulder. That’s when doctors discovered he had a displaced fracture to the glenoid.

With Watson sidelined for the season, the Browns are hoping their defense can continue keeping them in games. They also plan to start rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, their fifth-round pick from UCLA.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Deshaun Watson said. “I’m still trying to process all the information. I felt like we were turning a corner to really make a run and still believe we still will with the guys in this locker room. I just wanted to physically be a part of it. … It’s tough to try to wrap everything around my head right now.”