Deshaun Watson's Preseason Return: The Comeback From Two Torn Achilles

In This Article

What Happened Saturday Two Achilles Tears in Two Years What the Recovery Timeline Says The Browns QB Battle FAQ

What Happened Saturday

Watson started Cleveland's preseason opener against the Bears and played the first half, leading the Browns to a 10-0 lead before fumbling on a sack in the second quarter. He finished with two scoring drives against a mix of Chicago starters and backups, describing the outing afterward as a chance to "feel the hits and get tackled a little bit" for the first time in nearly two years. Shedeur Sanders, who took over for the second half against mostly Bears reserves, was intercepted by cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. and didn't lead Cleveland to any points. Head coach Todd Monken has said the plan is to flip the script in Week 2 against Buffalo, giving Sanders the start and a similar workload.

Two Achilles Tears in Two Years

The box score matters less than the fact that Watson played at all. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023, returned in 2024, and then ruptured his Achilles tendon — twice — ending his 2024 season and keeping him off an NFL field until this preseason opener. Back-to-back Achilles tears in the same player is exceedingly rare at any level of football, let alone at quarterback, where lower-body push-off power and pocket mobility are central to the position even for a passer not known primarily for scrambling.

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Deshaun Watson's Road Back

QB · Cleveland Browns

Achilles Tears

~22

Months Since Last Game

Scoring Drives, Preseason Opener

What the Recovery Timeline Says

Most single Achilles tears carry a 9-to-12-month return-to-play window in the NFL. A second tear on the same or opposite leg typically resets that clock and adds caution to every stage of testing, since the surgical site and surrounding tissue haven't had a full uninterrupted rebuilding cycle. Teams generally use a layered protocol before clearing a player for live contact — strength symmetry between limbs, jump testing, sprint mechanics, and finally change-of-direction drills — regardless of position.

For the Full Testing Breakdown We covered exactly what this ladder looks like, using Daniel Jones's single Achilles recovery as the case study, in our piece on the athletic benchmarks behind every NFL ACL and Achilles comeback. Watson's situation — two tears rather than one — puts him at the far end of that same testing spectrum.

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Vertical and broad jump testing are two of the key symmetry checks teams use before clearing a player post-Achilles. See how the numbers work.

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The Browns QB Battle

Cleveland has treated the quarterback job as a genuine open competition throughout camp, with Watson and Sanders alternating first-team reps in practice before Saturday's split-squad approach in the opener. Watson's edge in Week 1 came against a mix of Bears starters and backups, while Sanders faced mostly reserves — a wrinkle worth remembering before reading too much into either performance. The real test comes in Week 2, when the roles flip against Buffalo and each quarterback sees a different level of competition than he did in Chicago.

Frequently Asked Questions

How rare is it for an NFL player to tear the same or opposite Achilles twice?

Extremely rare, particularly at quarterback. Most NFL Achilles recoveries involve a single tear with a 9-to-12-month return window. A second tear resets much of that recovery process and typically extends caution around clearance for live contact.

Who won the Browns' preseason QB battle in Week 1?

Deshaun Watson was considered the more effective of the two quarterbacks in Cleveland's preseason opener against the Bears, leading two scoring drives. Shedeur Sanders, who played mostly against Chicago's backups, threw an interception and didn't lead a scoring drive. The competition remains open heading into Week 2.

When did Deshaun Watson last play in an NFL game before this preseason?

October 20, 2024, when he suffered the second of his two Achilles tears. Saturday's preseason opener against the Bears was his first game action since.