Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a torn Achilles in the team’s Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The ailment will hold Watson out of action for the remainder of the 2024 campaign. Watson, who was ineffective on the field all season, could possibly never play another NFL snap because of the injury.
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Watson is the third quarterback to sustain such an Achilles tear in recent years, joining Aaron Rodgers (2023 Week 1) and Kirk Cousins (2023 Week 8). NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted this on today’s episode of The Insiders, and wondered if there may be a reason Achilles tears are becoming more frequent.
“[An Achilles tendon rupture] is not a common quarterback injury. Maybe it’s [bad] luck; you’re talking about a pretty small sample size here. But if you go back over the past several decades… there’s a really short list of these. But suddenly, you’ve had [three] in a short period of time… maybe there’s something to dig into there.”
Achilles injuries are notoriously tough to recover from. Part of those difficulties is attributed to the lengthy rehab process.
How long does it take to return from an Achilles injury?
According to Dr. Dane Wukich, Achilles tendons are the “largest and strongest tendons in the body.” At six inches long and five millimeters thick, they’re “strong enough to withstand the force of up to 1,100 pounds.” However, they are “predisposed to injury and rupture” for one main reason: a lack of blood supply.
“Unlike muscle tissue, tendons don’t get a significant supply of blood. Blood delivers fluid and nutrients that are essential for healing. The less blood delivered, the longer it takes for tissue to heal. Add to that the sheer size of the Achilles tendon, and you’re in for a lengthy recovery. Even for professional athletes these are usually season-ending injuries, and in some cases career-ending injuries.”
Wukich says that “walking will be difficult, if it’s possible at all, for several weeks” after an Achilles tear or rupture. Watson will likely undergo surgery in the next few days, then be placed in a cast or boot.
The Browns inserted second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback following Watson’s injury. Veteran free agent signee Jameis Winston also received snaps late in Cleveland’s defeat. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has not yet announced who will start in Week 8 versus the Baltimore Ravens.
