There are many reasons why Cleveland Browns fans suffer year in and year out. They have only made the playoffs twice during the ownership tenure of Jimmy Haslam and there is a good reason for it. He meddles into many decisions with the football operations for the Browns. The latest decision that Cleveland made on Monday was to name Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
BEREA, OHIO – JUNE 10: Managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam of the Cleveland Browns looks on during Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
There is no doubt that this fanbase is totally angered by this situation. Many fans are cursing out the owner on social media. The first two weeks of the season for the Browns will be on the road. It is going to be interesting to see if Watson is going to be the starter by the time the Week 3 home opener happens for Cleveland. If he is, the Browns fans should not either show up or be totally ruthless and start chanting for Haslam to sell the team.
Why Jimmy Haslam Needs to Sell the Cleveland Browns After Naming Deshaun Watson the Starting Quarterback
BEREA, OHIO – MAY 20: Managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the Cleveland Browns OTA Offseason Workouts at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 20, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
There is no doubt that many Cleveland fans are considering not being fans of this franchise anymore after Watson being named the starting quarterback and who can blame them at this point? If they don’t want to be fans of this franchise anymore, those people deserve happiness and cheer for another NFL team.
If not, then Browns fans need to chant, “Sell the Team”. At some point, Cleveland Browns fans have to stop asking, “How can this team fix itself?” and start asking a much bigger question: Is he the right person to own this franchise?
The decision to name Watson the starting quarterback for the 2026 season is the latest example of why so many fans have lost faith in the direction of the organization. Watson has played only 19 games for Cleveland since arriving in 2022, has dealt with suspensions and major injuries, missed the entire 2025 season, and has not remotely lived up to the enormous expectations attached to his $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
And yet, after everything that has happened, the Browns are going right back to him. This isn’t simply about whether Watson is better than Shedeur Sanders. The bigger issue is accountability. Cleveland gave up three first-round picks and committed an unprecedented guaranteed contract to acquire Watson. Even Haslam has previously acknowledged that the Watson decision was a “swing and miss.” But instead of completely moving forward, the organization continues to find ways to remain tied to the decision.
That’s what makes this so frustrating for Browns fans. Ownership is supposed to provide stability, leadership and a long-term vision. Instead, the Browns have repeatedly found themselves in situations where enormous decisions have produced enormous consequences. The Watson saga is only the most visible example.
Then there’s the relationship with the fan base. Watson was booed by Browns fans during the preseason after a poor performance, and his response highlighted just how fractured the relationship between the quarterback and Cleveland has become. When the quarterback and the home crowd appear to be completely disconnected before the regular season even begins, that’s not exactly a healthy foundation for a franchise.
And let’s be honest: Browns fans deserve better. They have endured years of losing, quarterback instability, coaching changes, front-office decisions and false starts. Even when the team finally appeared to be building something legitimate, the organization eventually found another way to reset itself.
The Browns don’t need another temporary fix. They need a fundamental change in philosophy. That doesn’t necessarily mean Haslam is personally responsible for every bad decision. But he is the owner. Ultimately, ownership sets the culture and hires the people responsible for making those decisions. When the same organization repeatedly produces disappointing results, eventually the person at the top has to accept responsibility.
Selling the team would give Cleveland a genuine fresh start. A new owner could bring a completely different vision, establish accountability, build trust with the fan base and allow football people to make football decisions without being permanently tied to the mistakes of the past.
The Browns have a passionate fan base that has remained loyal through decades of misery. They deserve an organization that rewards that loyalty instead of repeatedly testing it. Haslam has had more than enough time to prove that he can lead the Cleveland Browns. The Watson situation is simply the latest evidence that the franchise needs a new direction.
If Haslam did truly care about the future of the Browns, perhaps the best thing he can do for Cleveland is sell the team and give someone else the opportunity to build it the right way. Also, this franchise is getting a new stadium in a few years in Brook Park. If they can’t get it right now, why will they get it right with a new stadium? Maybe a fresh start with a new owner at a new place would be wonders for Browns fans for light at the end of the tunnel, but there is none right now here.
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