Amazon Prime play-by-play announcer Al Michaels is facing criticism after he briefly referenced Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s past legal troubles without detailing them during Thursday Night Football, when the Browns played the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Watson faced 27 civil lawsuits from women who alleged sexual misconduct and assault, mostly during massage appointments between 2017 and 2020 while he played for the Houston Texans. He settled the lawsuits. The allegations led the Texans to sit him for the entire 2021 season before trading him to the Browns in 2022, and the NFL later suspended him for 11 games during his first season in Cleveland.
During the broadcast, Michaels raised the subject of Watson’s relationship with Browns fans but declined to spell out what had caused tension between the quarterback and the fan base.
“If you follow football, you know the story,” Michaels said. “We don’t have to go through the whole Deshaun Watson thing.”
Michaels went on to discuss the trade that brought Watson to Cleveland and the quarterback’s injury history and on-field performance.
“It’s great, all of a sudden he’s got these issues,” Michaels said. “We all know what they were. They make the trade for him. It looks like a terrible trade. He’s hurt. Hasn’t played that much. Can he win the fan base over?”
Michaels did not mention the lawsuits, the settlements, or the suspension in his remarks. Critics, including Fox News’ Outkick, argued that by raising Watson’s relationship with Browns fans at all, Michaels should have provided fuller context rather than referring to the entire matter as a “thing.”
Browns fans have, at various points since Watson’s arrival, booed him and raised concerns on local radio about the allegations, the settlements and the suspension. Watson has previously said he harbors no ill will toward Cleveland after signing a contract worth $184 million and throwing 19 touchdowns over four seasons with the team.
Watson’s season and career with the Browns remain ongoing.
