BEREA, Ohio -- One month after Cleveland Browns fans booed him in the second half of a preseason game, Deshaun Watson gave the Cleveland faithful something to cheer about in their home opener.
Watson led a game-winning drive for the second consecutive game, throwing a 14-yard touchdown to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. with 1:48 left in the Browns' 21-18 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Cleveland is 2-1 and tied for first place in the AFC North ahead of a "Thursday Night Football" home game against the 2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. Watson completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 45 yards on 11 carries.
In leading Cleveland to another come-from-behind victory, Watson became the first Browns quarterback since Baker Mayfield in Weeks 14 and 15 of the 2018 season to lead game-winning touchdown drives in the fourth quarter of consecutive games, according to ESPN Research.
"The moment I woke up, the anticipation, the anxiousness, everything. Just [to] get in front of the fans, just to get here, and get started. I wanted to play perfect so bad," Watson said. "It's the NFL. That's the way the game's going to go: ups and downs. The energy, the fans, it was amazing. They kept believing in us, they kept the energy up. I know there was a little lull in the game, but that's going to happen. But overall, we didn't give up and we fed off their energy.
"We continued to feed off that energy of the crowd, and we wanted to make a special play. I told the guys in the huddle, 'Man just [believe] in me and I'm going to use my legs.' Whenever that play comes up, make that play and Harold did."
Watson led the Browns 65 yards in eight plays on the game-winning drive. He converted two third downs, once on a 21-yard run and then the decisive touchdown pass. Watson also completed a 2-point attempt with a completion to rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston.
A roughing-the-passer penalty helped the drive by negating an interception but forced Watson to miss one play. Shedeur Sanders entered for Watson and completed his lone pass to running back Quinshon Judkins for no gain before Watson returned.
"I just lost my breath. I guess they thought it was my head," Watson said.
Cleveland's defense ended the game with one final stop, a Ronnie Hickman interception of Bryce Young, with nine seconds remaining.
Watson's late-game heroics helped overshadow a slow start for the Browns' offense that lasted three quarters. Cleveland led 10-9 entering the fourth quarter, but Watson was 10-for-21 for 67 yards and a touchdown.
The potential reaction from Browns fans was a topic of discussion in Cleveland in the lead-up to the home opener after Watson was booed in the second half of a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills and then called the booing "personal" and "disrespectful." Days later, Watson said his "emotions got the best of me." Last Wednesday, he said he was "ready for support" in his first home game of the season.
"It was great. It was amazing. I just wanted to finish the job for them," Watson said. "There was one moment where I got a little teary-eyed, feeling that energy. I've put in so much work to get here, to be in this moment here and to be able to show I can finish these drives, and finish these games to get W's for this city and this organization.
"This is what all the hard work, belief, prayers, everything that I have put myself through the last 22 months. To be able to stand in front of the crowd on that field and to finish the job. I want to keep improving and keep trying to get better each and every day, each week and we have a big one on Thursday."
Through three games, Watson has completed 56 of 82 passes (68.3%) for 587 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He has also run for 105 yards. Watson, who missed all of the 2025 season after tearing his Achilles twice, has registered a total QBR of 58.7, his best single-season mark since joining the Browns in March 2022.
"How cool, really," Browns coach Todd Monken said. "He probably didn't play as well as he wanted, right? But to get knocked down, then come back in and make a play, and then a two-point conversion, this is about him. This is about that. ... But I'm really happy for him. At the end there, it wasn't perfect, and we got to coach better, starts with me and our offensive staff. But man, is that really cool for him, to make that play at the end and the two-point conversion."