Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is making headlines for the wrong reasons this week.
Watson recently went on a trip to Saudi Arabia. He made it known on social media that he met with Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad.
The Pro Bowl quarterback also suggested that he’d like to see the NFL eventually makes it way to the Middle East. For some reason, his comments on social media came across as a sponsored post
“I had a nice time visiting Saudi Arabia and learned a lot about the original Saudi culture and society. And I enjoyed watching Al-Nassar, Al-Al-Wali and Al-Hilal, Al-Zaim, and I heard a lot about the singing of Al-Ahly fans and Al-Ittihad,” Watson wrote on X. “Special thanks to His Royal Highness Prince @Saudi49er for the hospitality and generosity And God willing, we will see the football in Saudi Arabia soon. May peace be with you!”
It didn’t take long for NFL fans to rip Watson on social media. Many said it’s the most “tone-deaf post” they’ve ever seen.
“Worst PR post ever,” one fan tweeted.
Another fan replied, “This man got a bag for this tweet, I’ll put that on my life.”
“How much money did the Saudi Prince pay him to tweet this,” a third fan commented. “Also, nice to see Deshaun expanding on his quest to learn to respect women in…checks notes… Saudi Arabia.”
Watson only appeared in six games for the Browns this past season. A shoulder injury knocked him out after a November win over the Ravens.
If the Browns are going to feel good about their contract with Watson, they’ll need him to play at an elite level this fall.