What a difference five days make.
On Saturday, the relationship between Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and Browns fans everywhere seemed to be permanently broken, after Watson was mercilessly booed during a preseason appearance and then complained to reporters about the way fans have treated him.
On Thursday night, Watson was signing autographs for and taking selfies with Browns fans before the team’s preseason finale.
Although plenty of Browns fans surely want nothing to do with Watson, it’s not universal. And plenty of fans will change their minds if he manages to lead the team to wins in Week 1 and Week 2, at Jacksonville and at Tampa Bay.
Watson apologized on Monday for his comments from Saturday. None of that will matter if the Browns return to Cleveland for the regular-season home opener against the Panthers in Week 3 with an 0-2 record. The Browns are hoping that Watson will help them to get off to the franchise’s first 2-0 start since 1993, and that this will be enough to get the paying customers to choose not to boo the player whom owner Jimmy Haslam declared last year to be a “big swing and miss.”
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