Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken has named the controversial Deshaun Watson his starting quarterback for the upcoming NFL season.The scandalized Watson, who has not played since Week 7 of the 2024 season, has finally won the Browns’ training camp quarterback battle against Shedeur Sanders and will start against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13. Monken’s decision comes just days after Watson turned on Browns fans, branding boos he received during the team’s preseason game on Saturday ‘disrespectful’ and personal’.Watson, who has a complicated relationship with Cleveland fans because of injuries, off-field issues, including an NFL suspension in 2022, and a massive, $230 million contract, was booed repeatedly during the second half of a 31-7 loss to the Bills.On the field, he went just five of 12 passing for 36 yards and threw an interception. He came off the bench because the Browns started Sanders.Watson didn’t appreciate the reaction from the sparse crowd at Huntington Bank Field, in his first appearance in front of Browns fans since tearing his Achilles tendon on October 20, 2024 – when fans cheered him sustaining a potential career-ending injury. Browns head coach Todd Monken has named Deshaun Watson his starting quarterback Watson didn’t hold back in his criticism of Browns fans after they jeered him on Saturday’It has nothing to do about the performance,’ Watson said of the boos in his post-game press conference. ‘It’s a little bit personal. I think that’s a disrespectful thing. ‘I’m going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. Just move on.’Watson has started just 19 games since the Browns acquired him in a blockbuster trade from Houston four years ago and signed him to a fully guaranteed contract. They traded three first-round draft picks for the three-time Pro Bowl pick, who came to Cleveland embroiled in controversy.He served an 11-game league suspension in his first season after two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions. He also paid a $5 million fine and completed a treatment program.Watson struggled with rustiness upon his return and was just beginning to play like a Pro Bowl QB again when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023 and had surgery. This season, he’s coming back from twice rupturing his Achilles tendon.When Watson first injured his Achilles tendon in 2024 in a home game against Cincinnati, some fans cheered. He hasn’t forgotten.’Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles and that same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt,’ Watson said. ‘So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city and they cheer.’Watson said he’s not sure if he can win back any fans. He’s frustrated that the only time he feels animosity from Cleveland fans is when he’s on the field. Browns head coach Todd Monken will start with Watson against the Jaguars on September 13 Quarterback rival Shedeur Sanders (center) backed Watson and disagreed with the boos’When I’m in public, no one’s mentioned anything,’ he said. ‘Because this is social media, players can’t respond back. And then in the stadium, players can’t respond back. So I get it. I understand it. So it is what it is.’It’s a mental battle every day. I feel like I get more love in road games than I do home games. So if it is my spot and he (Monken) does make me the (starter), maybe it’s 17 away games then.’Although he’s competing with Watson, former Colorado star Sanders said the booing directed at one of his teammates was bothersome.’I don’t appreciate that at all,’ Sanders said. ‘Regardless of competition, we’re all human beings. I think we all need to understand that. In this room, too, we’re all humans. I don’t do things to humans that I wouldn’t want done to me.’For all the fans, we appreciate you showing up, and however you feel about the situation with Deshaun and everything, I think it’s more about a bigger purpose and it’s respect. It’s a respect thing that I feel should be there, because we’re all out there trying to do our best and serve the franchise the best way possible.’Before Watson spoke, Monken said he believed Watson could win back fans with his play.’I know you asked (Watson) “Hey, how does it feel to get booed?” It’s a pretty easy question – it sucks,’ Monken said. ‘I don’t want to get booed. It comes with the territory. You don’t want to get booed? Let’s play good football. ‘Let’s play good at quarterback. Let’s play good on offense. Let’s play good as a team. And then you don’t have to worry about all that because it can turn just like that.’Win, play good football, and everybody will be fine. That’s just part of it.’