Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson suffers Achilles injury against Bengals

CLEVELAND — Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles injury on a second-and-6 play with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals .

The Browns quarterback planted his leg on a designed quarterback run when it appeared his calf buckled on him. He immediately went down in obvious pain.

The cart was called out for Watson to take him off the field. There's been no immediate word on the nature of the injury.

After the game, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wasn’t definitive on the injury being season ending, but said it looks that way.

Watson was 15-of-17 passing for 128 yards and a 98.0 passer rating. The Bengals had sacked him twice in the first half.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaces Deshaun Watson as Browns QB

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was elevated to the backup quarterback role for this game, replaced Watson. His first pass, to Cedric Tillman, drew a pass interference flag against the Bengals in the end zone.

Thompson-Robinson only had one official pass attempt in the first half, an incompletion to tight end David Njoku. The Browns scored on the drive when Nick Chubb ran it in from a yard out with 56 seconds remaining to pull them within 7-6 before kicker Dustin Hopkins missed the PAT.

Deshaun Watson's injury-, suspension-plagued Cleveland Browns tenure continues

Sunday was Watson's 19th start in two-plus seasons since the Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in March 2022. He had been limited to six starts in each of his first two seasons.

Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 because of personal conduct policy violations in connection with the more than two dozen allegations from women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in massage appointments. He also missed 11 games last season with shoulder injuries, including a broken glenoid that ended his season in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson suffers Achilles injury against Bengals