Watson Pleads Not Guilty to Speeding Charge Before Opener

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a speeding charge just days before the team opens its 2026 season, adding an off-field storyline to a comeback already under intense scrutiny. According to a report from Fox 8 Cleveland, Watson was cited by the Ohio State Highway Patrol for allegedly driving 86 mph in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 480 in Cleveland on August 26. The 30-year-old appeared in Cleveland Municipal Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charge. A bench trial has been scheduled for September 23, a date that falls on a workday for the quarterback during the regular season. The citation arrived at a notable moment. It came two days after Browns head coach Todd Monken named Watson the team's Week 1 starter following an offseason competition that included rookie Shedeur Sanders, and four days after Watson was booed by sections of the crowd during Cleveland's 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. After that game, Watson indicated the reaction went beyond his play. It has nothing to do about the performance, Watson said. Its a little bit personal. I think thats a disrespectful thing.