- May 21, 2026
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For at least one week, Deshaun Watson will be a Browns captain.
Head coach Todd Monken named Watson one of Cleveland’s five captains for the season opener against Jacksonville. Monken explained that the team will not have season-long captains, instead doing them weekly. There will be two captains from offense, two from defense, and one from special teams chosen by the coaches.
And in Week 1, Watson — the starting quarterback — will be one of the offensive representatives.
“It’ll vary week-to-week, and then at the end of the year, the players will vote on the permanent 2026 captains,” Monken said in his Monday press conference. “I just like it that way. I think we have a fairly young team. I’m not ready to name guys that are permanent for us. I do think it’s cool for players to go out for the coin toss, I think it’s really cool.
“I think most teams have more leaders than just four or five guys — I just believe that. I believe that with each game you reward guys for the week that they’ve had, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Watson, guard Zion Johnson, cornerback Tyson Campbell, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and long snapper Rex Sunahara will be the Browns’ Week 1 captains.
Kickoff between the Browns and Jaguars is set for 1 p.m. ET in Jacksonville on Sunday.
Head coach Todd Monken named Watson one of Cleveland’s five captains for the season opener against Jacksonville. Monken explained that the team will not have season-long captains, instead doing them weekly. There will be two captains from offense, two from defense, and one from special teams chosen by the coaches.
And in Week 1, Watson — the starting quarterback — will be one of the offensive representatives.
“It’ll vary week-to-week, and then at the end of the year, the players will vote on the permanent 2026 captains,” Monken said in his Monday press conference. “I just like it that way. I think we have a fairly young team. I’m not ready to name guys that are permanent for us. I do think it’s cool for players to go out for the coin toss, I think it’s really cool.
“I think most teams have more leaders than just four or five guys — I just believe that. I believe that with each game you reward guys for the week that they’ve had, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Watson, guard Zion Johnson, cornerback Tyson Campbell, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and long snapper Rex Sunahara will be the Browns’ Week 1 captains.
Kickoff between the Browns and Jaguars is set for 1 p.m. ET in Jacksonville on Sunday.