Deshaun Watson has rough return in first game since surgery as Browns thumped 33-17 by Cowboys

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lying face down in the grass, Deshaun Watson couldn't see another of his passes sail out of bounds.

Everything about his return on Sunday was off target.

Watson didn't look comfortable from the start in his first game since breaking a bone in his right shoulder in November as the Cleveland Browns were blasted 33-17 in their season opener by the Dallas Cowboys.

This was not the comeback Watson or the Browns had hoped for as the 28-year-old quarterback tries to jump-start his career after making just 12 starts over the past two seasons due to an NFL suspension and shoulder surgery.

Cleveland's new-look offense was hard to look at.

Watson spent much of the day running from Dallas defenders as Cleveland's offensive line, missing both of its starting tackles, struggled to keep their quarterback upright. He was sacked six times and the Cowboys were credited with 17 hits on Watson.

“Yeah, he got hit way too often,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. "We can’t let that happen to him. He fought like crazy, and listen, the football team fought like crazy to the end. But bottom line is, we have to protect our quarterback better than that.”

Watson also took several hard shots while running after the pocket collapsed. He said his surgically repaired shoulder held up fine, but Watson said he couldn't gauge how he was overall physically until the adrenaline wore off.

It wasn't too early for him to address a poor performance that triggered booing from Cleveland fans in the first half and a mass exodus in the third quarter.

"We’re not the type of people that make excuses,” Watson said. "So some people can say that can contribute a lot, you know, my injury, guys missing time. But at the end of the day, once you’re on the field, you gotta perform, you gotta execute.

"We didn’t do that overall. And yeah, it showed.”

Watson didn't play in the preseason as the Browns chose to keep him as healthy as possible. The long layoff certainly affected his timing. Watson missed some easy throws, was hesitant on others and never got into a rhythm.

Cleveland's offense, which has been re-designed by Stefanski and first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey, sputtered badly in the first half. The Browns picked up just one first down and gained only 54 yards in the first 30 minutes.

Watson finished 24 of 45 for 169 yards with two interceptions and one TD.

It was ugly, but Watson said the outing didn't shake his confidence.

“Hell no,” he said. "I’ll always be Deshaun Watson, regardless of whoever else says otherwise. We all have days like this when you’re playing this type of game, and that’s just part of what comes with it. It comes with the territory.

“And especially in my position: much is given, much is required.”

As bad as things went, Watson found some perspective after a trying few days.

Following the game, he sat quietly at his locker and mostly listened during an extended conversation with backup QB Jameis Winston. General manager Andrew Berry stopped to offer support.

Watson said his father died on Friday and that a former teammate passed away Saturday. He said the Browns told him he didn't have to play.

'Football is definitely something that you got to take very, very seriously and it’s our job, it’s our career," Watson said. "But you know, there are other things that are bigger than this. It’s been a long week and they gave me the opportunity to go back home, but I told them I wanted to be here with my guys."

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) stands on the field after throwing an incomplete pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is helped up by James Hudson III, left, after Watson threw an incomplete pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is stopped after a short gain by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, rear, in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) runs for a gain before being tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Damone Clark (18) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday launched his family's cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, with an interview on the X social media platform in which he also gave his first public comments on the apparent assassination attempt against him a day earlier.

Trump did not discuss specifics about World Liberty Financial or how it would work, pivoting from questions about cryptocurrency to talking about artificial intelligence or other topics. Instead, he recounted his experience Sunday, saying he and a friend playing golf “heard shots being fired in the air, and I guess probably four or five.”

“I would have loved to have sank that last putt,” Trump said. He credited the Secret Service agent who spotted the barrel of a rifle and began firing toward it as well as law enforcement and a civilian who he said helped track down the suspect.

World Liberty Financial is expected to be a borrowing and lending service used to trade cryptocurrencies, which are forms of digital money that can be traded over the internet without relying on the global banking system. Exchanges often charge fees for withdrawals of Bitcoin and other currencies.

Other speakers after Trump, including his eldest son, Don Jr., talked about embracing cryptocurrency as an alternative to what they allege is a banking system tilted against conservatives.

Experts have said a presidential candidate launching a business venture in the midst of a campaign could create ethical conflicts.

“Taking a pro-crypto stance is not necessarily troubling; the troubling aspect is doing it while starting a way to personally benefit from it,” Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said earlier this month.

During his time in the White House, Trump said he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrency and tweeted in 2019, “Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity." However, during this election cycle, he has reversed himself and taken on a favorable view of cryptocurrencies.

He announced in May that his campaign would begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency as part of an effort to build what it calls a “crypto army” leading up to Election Day. He attended a bitcoin conference in Nashville this year, promising to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve” using the currency that the government currently holds.

Hilary Allen, a law professor at American University who has done research on cryptocurrencies, said she was skeptical of Trump's change of heart on crypto.

“I think it’s fair to say that that reversal has been motivated in part by financial interests,” she said.

Crypto enthusiasts welcomed the shift, viewing the launch as a positive sign for investors if Trump retakes the White House.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has not offered policy proposals on how it would regulate digital assets like cryptocurrencies.

In an effort to appeal to crypto investors, a group of Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, participated in an online “Crypto 4 Harris” event in August.

Neither Harris nor members of her campaign staff attended the event.

Gomez Licon contributed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump waves as he boards a plane at Harry Reid International Airport after a campaign trip, Saturday, Sept.14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)