Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson could be in trouble for a TikTok he shared days before it emerged he tore his Achilles tendon for the second time in three months.
On December 26, Watson shared a video of himself dancing with his girlfriend Jilly Anais on the side of the road and he doesn’t appear to be wearing a protective boot.
The 29-year-old underwent surgery on October 25 after first rupturing his right Achilles tendon. And on Friday it turned out he needed a second operation after tearing everything again.
The Browns did not indicate how he accomplished that, saying only that he rolled his ankle in Miami.
After Achilles surgery, it is common for people to wear a protective boot for about 10 weeks.
While it’s unclear exactly when Watson filmed the clip he uploaded to TikTok in December, the December 26 upload date is still less than 10 weeks after the surgery.
Deshaun Watson had surgery on his right Achilles for the second time earlier this week
And he didn’t move very freely during the 15-second clip, suggesting he was still feeling the impact of the surgery.
It doesn’t say where the video was shot, but Watson captioned it: “Vibes with bae!!”
General manager Andrew Berry said the Browns only learned about Watson’s new medical situation during player exit meetings last Sunday, when he brought it up to team doctors.
The Browns said in a statement that Watson’s recovery time is unclear other than confirming he will miss “significant time” in the 2025 season.
“MRI results showed that his Achilles tendon has re-ruptured,” the franchise said. ‘Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist in Charlotte, NC, performed both surgeries.”
Watson has made 19 appearances for the Browns since joining them in 2022 on a controversial five-year, fully guaranteed, $230 million deal.
The Browns have the second pick in 2025 and are now almost guaranteed to select a quarterback.
It could mean Watson struggles to ever regain his place as a starter if he eventually recovers and where he goes from there – given his form before he was injured – is wide open.
The Browns began what will be another busy offseason on Sunday by firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Watson pictured here with his girlfriend Jilly Anais
In better news for the team, Berry also said he expects defensive star Myles Garrett to stay with the Browns and retire from the team.
Garrett, who finished with 14 sacks, recently put the owner on notice, saying he didn’t want to waste any more seasons rebuilding.
“I can’t imagine an offseason where we leave a lot of core players behind,” Berry said.