A three-time Pro Bowler, Watson has a 66.2 completion percentage for his career with 17,904 passing yards and 123 passing touchdowns with 48 interceptions in 73 career games with the Browns and Texans after being selected by Houston in the first round (12th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.

In March 2022, Watson signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns after being traded to Cleveland from the Texans. With his recent contract restructure, he is still owed $92 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons, but now his contract will be easier to manage when it expires after the 2026 season.

The re-tear of his Achilles is the latest setback for Watson, who has faced plenty of adversity in recent seasons, on and off the field. He played in just six games in his first season with Cleveland after having to serve a suspension and he was limited to just six games in 2023 and seven in 2024 due to injury.