As the Cleveland Browns consider their next steps in a troubling 1-6 season without their starting quarterback, Myles Garrett has expressed his discontent with the fans’ response to a critical incident from Sunday’s game.

During the Browns’ 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback Deshaun Watson sustained what the team fears might be a season-ending Achilles injury, prompting boos from fans while he lay injured on the field and was subsequently carted off.

Garrett, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and the current NFL Defensive Player of the Year, condemned the fans’ actions, praising Watson for consistently being “a model citizen through college and most of the pros.”

“Whether it’s an opponent that goes down or one of our own (players), we don’t boo,” Garrett stated in a postgame press conference. “We shouldn’t be booing players who are injured on the field, especially when they’re being taken off in a cart. We should be embarrassed, both as Browns and as fans, to boo anyone in distress.”

Watson, who faced boos during pregame as well, has struggled in his third season with the Browns. The team made a significant trade involving multiple first-round picks to acquire him and later signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract over five years. Despite their efforts, Cleveland remains the only team in the NFL this season that hasn’t scored 20 points in a game.

Still, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski stated last week that he would continue to support Watson, asserting that the quarterback “gives us the best chance to win.”

“The man isn’t perfect, and he doesn’t need to be,” Garrett remarked. “None of us expect to be flawless. We shouldn’t judge him for what he does, both on and off the field, as I can’t criticize anyone from my own imperfect situation.”

“But we can and must do better. On the field, we need to improve, and as fans, we should show more empathy for someone who is doing their best and has worked hard up to this point.”

Jameis Winston, who stepped in as the emergency quarterback after backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson got hurt in the fourth quarter, shared Garrett’s viewpoint.

“I’m grateful I had the opportunity to support Deshaun, but I’m really disappointed with how a man who has faced adversity for the past four years was treated,” Winston told reporters. “He puts his body and life on the line for this city every single day. No matter your opinions or what you believe should have happened with him, he has consistently dedicated himself to being the best for this team during my time here.”

Winston continued, “I do not want the treatment that Deshaun Watson has received from these dedicated fans. I know how much passion you have for this game. When I arrived, I saw how incredible these fans are. But Deshaun has been treated unjustly, and now he faces yet another hurdle.”

Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II was even more straightforward in his criticism of the fans’ reactions.

“That was unacceptable,” Newsome expressed after the game. “I noticed it immediately; no matter your feelings about a player’s performance, you don’t boo someone who is down and unable to get up. It was just wrong.”

Watson had been suspended for 11 games during the 2022 NFL season due to violations of the league’s conduct policy after facing allegations of sexual misconduct from over two dozen women during massage sessions. He played only six games in 2023 before being sidelined with a shoulder injury.