Where Does Deshaun Watson Stand On The Debate Over Browns Future Stadium?

Mark Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson down for team "build a dome."

The 28-year-old QB shared his thoughts on the franchise's stadium situation via the QB Unplugged Podcast he hosts with personal coach Quincy Avery.

"If anybody can sit here and say that it's not an advantage, especially for quarterbacks to play inside in a warm, then you're crazy you know I'm saying," said Watson "Dry ball and being able to throw the ball without no wind, or no lightning, or rain, nothing is definitely key. So I would say if I had to pick, of course I'm gonna go with the dome, and a new facility, and and the lights, and all that stuff that's gonna bring more money to the city."

Hailing from Gainesville, GA just outside Atlanta, and having played his college ball at Clemson then his first four years in the NFL in Houston, Watson has never had to deal with playing football in the elements all that much throughout his career. Watsonw experienced a little baptism by fire – or more accurately ice – in his fourth career start for Cleveland back in 2022 where he suited up for a game against the Saints that featured single digit temperatures. Officially, it went down as the third coldest game in Browns history with a game-time low of 9-degrees.

Even though Watson doesn't have much of a penchant for inclement weather he recognizes why a portion of the fan base embraces the old-school approach to football where the elements are a factor.

"If they redo the stadium on the lake it not going to be bad either because you know people hate coming to Cleveland and playing at that stadium," Watson added. It's one of the toughest environments to play in and, you know, we're gonna use it to our advantage so I get that side too. But at the end of the day, you still got to play football. So if I had to pick, I'm choosing the dome. I'm rocking with the dome, I'm rocking with the new, the new lights and all that stuff, the turf, grass – whatever we pick. That's what I'm going with for sure."

While Watson may have his preference in regards to what type of facility the Browns play in in the future, there's no guarantee he'll even be here to see the new facility. 2024 is an important year for the former first-round pick as he looks to rebound from two inconsistent seasons that were derailed by a suspension in 2022 and then multiple shoulder injuries in 2023.

Currently, Watson is under contract through the end of the 2026 season. The Browns lease on their current home at Cleveland Browns Stadium expires two years after that in 2028, which is essentially a soft deadline for the team to have their plans finalized. That said, the Haslam's mentioned this week that they could extend the lease by a few years if they need to.

The team certainly hopes that Watson is part of their long-term plans well beyond 2028, but that will largely hinge on his play over the final three years of his current deal. In two seasons with the Browns, Watson has posted an 8-4 record, completed 59-percent of his passes for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

As things stand right now Jimmy and Dee Haslam have boiled the decision down to two options, one being a more than $1 billion renovation to current lakefront stadium, which wouldn't include a roof. The other option appears to be building a new, state of the art dome, on a plot of land in Brook Park that the owners are working on acquiring, for more than $2 billion.

Watson noted that he hasn't talked to the Haslam's about a their plans for the new stadium. Whether he's here or not though, he recognizes the project could be a massive boost for Northeast Ohio.

"You've got to be able to grow and you want the city to be able to expand," Watson said. "and I think that you know with the Haslams, I haven't talked to him personally about the stadium, but I think in their eyes and looking at it like: 'look this is the opportunity for us to be able to grow Cleveland, have more events in the offseason, host the Super Bowl, concerts, WWE matches, boxing matches," all types of stuff that can actually have that possibility when you create that new stadium dome."