Watson to start preseason opener
Deshaun Watson’s debut for the Browns is tentative and subject to change.
The same is true for his first season with the team.
Watson is scheduled to start the Browns’ exhibition opener — his first game action since 2020 — against the Jaguars on Friday in Jacksonville, Florida, while the quarterback waits to see if the NFL succeeds in keeping him off the field for the entire season.
The three-time Pro Bowler is facing a potential year-long suspension and fine from the league for alleged sexual misconduct against two dozen women while he played for the Texans.
Last week, an independent arbitrator suspended Watson for six games, but the league wasn’t satisfied with the decision, appealed and is hoping for a much lengthier punishment as well as a significant fine and that he undergo treatment before being considered for reinstatement.
That decision is expected soon.
The 26-year-old Watson sat out last season after demanding a trade and before he was accused of assault and harassment by the women during massage therapy sessions he scheduled on Instagram.
Watson has denied any wrongdoing. Two separate grand juries in Texas declined to indict him and he settled 23 of 24 civil lawsuits.
Browns WR and returner Jakeem Grant Sr. has a torn Achilles and will miss the entire 2022 season after being placed on injured reserve. Grant suffered the injury during Tuesday’s practice and had to be carted off the field. He was a Pro Bowl returner for the Bears last season.
College football: Wake Forest announced that QB Sam Hartman will miss “an extended period of time” for treatment of what it described as a medical condition unrelated to football. In a statement, the school said Hartman sought medical attention Tuesday following a workout. He will miss team activities indefinitely and it’s unclear when he might be able to return to competition. The school cited privacy laws in not revealing specifics of the condition. “We expect him to be back,” Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson said. “It’s too early to tell exactly what the timeline is.” The fifth-year junior was one of the top passers in FBS last year and helped the Demon Deacons reach the ACC championship game while tying a program record with 11 wins. Clawson said third-year freshman Mitch Griffis got most of the first-team QB reps Wednesday, followed by fourthyear sophomore Michael Kern . ... Alabama sophomore WR and returner JoJo Earle is expected to miss the first month of the season with a broken foot.
Soccer: Karim Benzema and David Alaba scored for Real Madrid to win the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki. It was Madrid’s record-equaling fifth Super Cup title.
Tennis: Nick Kyrgios beat top-ranked defending champ Daniil Medvedev of Russia 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 in second round of the National Bank Open in Montreal. Krygios, the Australian ranked 37th, won last week in Washington for his seventh ATP Tour title. Medvedev won last week in Los Cabos, Mexico. In another upset, American Tommy Paul beat second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7), 6-3.