Myles Garrett Under Fire For Remarks On Deshaun Watson Injury

Myles Garrett is facing intense criticism following his remarks about Deshaun Watson's injury.

As Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson lay on the ground during the team's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field, having suffered an Achilles injury on a non-contact play, sarcastic cheers and loud booing erupted from the home fans in the stands.

After the game, Browns players and coaches, including Myles Garrett, voiced their displeasure with the reaction from the crowd as Deshaun Watson lay in agony.

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was carted off the field during the second quarter of Sunday’s 21-14 loss to the Bengals, raising fears of a season-ending torn Achilles, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

The injury occurred when Watson fell to his knees after attempting a pass, with slow-motion replays suggesting a possible pop in his lower right calf. He remained hunched over for several moments as the Browns' medical staff tended to him on the field.

The team later announced after halftime that Watson would not be returning to the game.

Following the game, Coach Kevin Stefanski stated that Watson would undergo additional tests to determine the extent of the injury, but he indicated it "looks like" it could end Watson’s season.

After the game, Browns players and coaches expressed their frustration with the fans' reaction, declaring that they "should be ashamed" of their behavior.

“We don’t boo guys who are injured on the field, especially when the cart comes out,” Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett said. “We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall. (Watson’s) not perfect, he doesn’t need to be. None of us are expected to be perfect.”

The 29-year-old quarterback faced numerous lawsuits from women alleging sexual assault or harassment.

“Can’t judge him for what he does off the field or on the field, because I can’t throw stones from my glass house, but we need to do better," he added. "Do better on the football field and do better as fans for having some empathy for a man who’s doing the best he can and did the best he can up until this point. We have to be better.”

Garrett also said Watson “does pretty much everything right” and he’s “been a model citizen through college and most of the pros."

Fans had a field day after hearing Garrett's comments, slamming the NFL player for seemingly excusing the sexual assault allegations made against Watson. "Myles I believe they were booing a sexual predator but I could be mistaken," one social media user said.

"Imagine defending a man with 30+ SA accusations," another expressed.

"Maybe Deshaun shouldn’t touch women inappropriately 20 times if he wants to be respected by people," someone else said.

"Pretty sure they were booing a predator," another fan wrote in the comments section of the post-game press conference shared on Instagram.

Backup quarterback Jameis Winston, who began the day as the Browns’ emergency quarterback and later took the field in the fourth quarter, appeared visibly emotional as he addressed the crowd’s reaction.

“I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years and he put his body and his life on the line for this city every single day,” Winston said, per The New York Times. “Regardless of your perception, regardless of what you thought should happen with him, he committed every single day that I’ve been here to be the best that he can be for this team.”

Winston concluded his remarks by expressing his gratitude for the passion of the "amazing fans," but emphasized that he learned from his upbringing in Birmingham, Alabama, to never kick a man when he’s down.

“I do not want the treatment that Deshaun Watson has received from these passionate fans,” the backup QB added. “I know you love this game, from when I first got here. I knew these were some amazing fans. But Deshaun was treated badly, and now he has to overcome another obstacle.”

Watson has faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct in various lawsuits, having previously settled 23 of them, with one being withdrawn.

One lawsuit alleged that Watson sexually assaulted a woman in October 2020 while they were on a date at her apartment. According to the woman, Watson undressed, insisted that she massage his buttocks, and then grabbed and assaulted her for several minutes.

In 2022, he was suspended for 11 games and fined $5 million for breaching the league's personal conduct policy.