Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith said Monday that Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns "will probably be the final piece" of the saga between Deshaun Watson and the bumbling franchise of the Bayou City. As expected, though, the lead-up to this weekend's contest in Houston has been about much more than football.
In addition to coming back to the city where he became a three-time Pro Bowler, Watson—who requested a trade after the 2020 season and was eventually sent to the Browns this March for a bevy of draft picks—is set to make his 2022 debut after serving an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy.