(Reuters) – Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will undergo season-ending surgery on a broken bone in his throwing shoulder, the National Football League (NFL) team said on Wednesday in a move that deals a major blow to their playoff hopes.
Watson had an MRI on Monday that revealed he had a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder and team doctors determined he required immediate surgery to avoid further structural damage, the Browns said in a statement.
According to the Browns, the 28-year-old Watson is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2024 NFL season.
Watson, who missed games earlier this season with a rotator cuff strain in his throwing shoulder, suffered the latest injury during the first half on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens but did not alert his team until after the game.
Watson stayed in the game and guided Cleveland down the field on the final possession to set up the game-winning field goal in a 33-31 victory.
Another MRI on Monday revealed Watson also suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Ravens game.
Watson joined Cleveland from the Houston Texans in a March 2022 trade but his debut with the team was delayed as he was later suspended 11 games by the NFL following accusations of sexual misconduct by more than 20 massage therapists.
Cleveland host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in a key matchup between AFC North rivals who have matching 6-3 records and are a half-game behind the division-leading Ravens (7-3).
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
