Dabo Swinney and Deshaun Watson were back together this week, as Clemson’s longtime head coach paid a visit to the legendary Tiger and current Cleveland Browns quarterback.

On Thursday, Swinney reunited with Watson when Swinney attended the ninth and final practice of Browns organized team activities (OTAs), along with members of Swinney’s family, Watson’s former Clemson offensive coordinator (and current Clemson OC) Chad Morris, and others.

Watson missed all of the 2025 season after undergoing surgery after tearing his Achilles a second time, but is now healthy again. The 30-year-old is entering the final year of his deal in 2026 and is competing with second-year pro Shedeur Sanders for Cleveland’s starting quarterback job.

Of course, Watson has faced plenty of adversity in recent seasons, on and off the field. He played in just six games in his first season with Cleveland in 2022 after having to serve a suspension and then was limited to just six games in 2023 and seven in 2024 due to season-ending injuries, before missing all of the 2025 campaign due to injury.

In 19 games for the Browns since being traded from the Houston Texans in March 2022, Watson has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, Watson guided Clemson to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, with the school’s second national championship in 2016, and he led the Tigers to 28 wins over his final two seasons. He threw for 10,163 yards and 90 career touchdowns, while rushing for 1,934 yards and 26 more scores, and compiled a 32-3 record as a starter — at the time the best winning percentage in school history for a quarterback, later surpassed by Trevor Lawrence. Watson exited third in ACC history in total offense (12,094), behind only NC State’s Philip Rivers and Clemson’s Tajh Boyd.