Deshaun Watson authored his third consecutive game-winning drive on Thursday night, and in doing so completed the most improbable chapter yet of his Cleveland comeback story, as the Browns held off the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 to seize first place in the AFC North. Watson completed 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, then moved the offense into position for Andre Szmyt's career-long 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. One play later, safety Grant Delpit intercepted Aaron Rodgers' last-second heave at the Cleveland 18-yard line to preserve a win that pushed the Browns to 3-1.
The Steelers vs Browns rivalry has long ranked among the NFL's most physical grudge matches, but Thursday's edition carried extra intrigue: two polarizing quarterbacks at opposite ends of their careers, and a Cleveland team determined to prove its hot start was no fluke.
From Achilles Tears to AFC North Leader: Deshaun Watson's Comeback
Rewind to August, and the idea of Watson leading the Browns into first place felt closer to fantasy than forecast. The quarterback tore his right Achilles tendon on October 20, 2024, then suffered a re-rupture that erased his entire 2025 season. When he returned this year, he did so in the final season of a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract — the richest fully guaranteed deal in NFL history when it was signed — and he had to win back the starting job from Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado star listed alongside Watson as a co-starter on Cleveland's initial depth chart.
Head coach Todd Monken stayed patient through a messy opener — a 34-10 road loss in which Watson threw for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception — and that patience has been rewarded. Since that defeat, Watson has produced game-winning drives in three straight weeks, a feat he had not accomplished since 2018 with the Houston Texans.
The version of Watson now leading the Browns is far closer to the dynamic Houston-era playmaker than the injury-limited quarterback of recent years. The resurgence has flipped his standing in Cleveland, where he has gone from being booed to being celebrated, and where fans are once again daring to believe the most expensive quarterback contract in franchise history can still deliver.
Szmyt's 56-Yard Strike and Delpit's Last-Second Pick Seal the Win
Thursday's game turned on two plays in the final seconds. With the score tied at 24, Watson completed four of five passes for 46 yards on the decisive drive, guiding the Browns into field-goal range. Andre Szmyt then drilled a career-long 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left, extending his consecutive made-field-goal streak to 22. Szmyt had reportedly made a bold promise to Watson before the kick.
Pittsburgh still had one final shot, but Rodgers' desperation heave toward the end zone was intercepted by Delpit at the Cleveland 18-yard line as time expired. Watson was nearly flawless in the first half, throwing for 181 yards and a touchdown, and finished with a 94.0 passer rating despite being sacked twice and scrambling seven times for 22 yards. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and running back Quinshon Judkins chipped in to keep a balanced attack moving against a Steelers defense that sacked Rodgers five times.
Three Straight Game-Winning Drives: How the Browns Got Here
Cleveland's path to 3-1 has been defined by Watson's late-game poise. The timeline tells the story:
- Week 1 (Sept. 13): Cleveland falls 34-10 at Jacksonville; Watson goes 16-of-22 for 205 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
- Week 2 (Sept. 21): Watson throws for 238 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score, as the Browns upset the Buccaneers 23-19.
- Week 3 (Sept. 27): Watson finds Harold Fannin Jr. for a 14-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining, lifting Cleveland to a 21-18 win over the Panthers. Fannin finishes with two touchdowns.
- Week 4 (Oct. 1): Watson leads the final drive, Szmyt nails the 56-yarder, and Delpit seals the 27-24 victory over the Steelers.
That run of late-game heroics is no small feat. Watson has now delivered a third straight game-winning drive for only the second time in his career — the first came in 2018, when he was still in Houston. For a quarterback whose durability and clutch play were once major question marks, it is the strongest evidence yet that he is fully back.
What Cleveland's 3-1 Start Means for the AFC North
The victory carries significant weight in a division shaping up to be one of the NFL's tightest. At 3-1, Cleveland sits alone atop the AFC North, while Pittsburgh falls to 2-2 after Thursday's loss, with Baltimore and Cincinnati jockeying for position behind them.
The turnaround is especially striking given where this franchise stood after Week 1. A lopsided opening loss sparked immediate questions about whether Watson — and the coaching staff that backed him — could survive the season. Three weeks later, the Browns have flipped the script: the offense is moving, the defense is forcing turnovers in critical moments, and a team that looked directionless in September now controls its own destiny in the division race.
For Watson, the stakes have always been bigger than any single game. Playing in the final year of his fully guaranteed contract, he entered 2026 needing to prove he can still be a franchise quarterback. His performance against the Steelers — efficient in the first half, composed in the fourth quarter — was the clearest statement yet that he intends to remain Cleveland's answer under center.
What's Next: Rodgers' Farewell Tour and Sanders' Waiting Game
Across the field, Thursday's loss was another reminder of the clock ticking on Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP, now in his 22nd and, by his own admission, final NFL season, threw two touchdown passes but was intercepted on his last-second attempt and absorbed five sacks. Through four games, Rodgers has 999 passing yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions, and the Steelers sit at 2-2 with questions mounting about their ceiling in a loaded AFC North.
Back in Cleveland, the quarterback conversation carries a fascinating subplot. Shedeur Sanders remains the No. 2 option on the depth chart, waiting in the wings as Watson strengthens his grip on the starting job. As long as Watson keeps delivering game-winning drives, that is a conversation the Browns will happily keep on hold.
The Bottom Line: Key Takeaways
- Deshaun Watson led his third straight game-winning drive as the Browns beat the Steelers 27-24 on Thursday Night Football.
- Cleveland improved to 3-1 and moved into first place in the AFC North.
- Watson finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception, good for a 94.0 passer rating.
- Andre Szmyt's career-long 56-yard field goal and Grant Delpit's last-second interception of Aaron Rodgers sealed the win.
- Watson's comeback, after Achilles tears in 2024 and 2025, has flipped him from booed to celebrated as he plays the final year of his $230 million contract.
