Cleveland Browns star quarterback Deshaun Watson and accomplished quarterback coach Quincy Avery recently premiered the opening episode of their in-season podcast, QB Unplugged. Broadcasting through the Lockerverse platform, they will sit down every week and analyze film from high school and college quarterbacks, breaking down what it takes to make it to the National Football League.
Watson, who has had more than 20 women file civil lawsuits against him on similar allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions over the past several years, returned to the field last year after serving an 11-game suspension. Additionally, the quarterback was mandated by the league to pay a $5 million fine and take part in a behavioral treatment program in order to resume playing the sport.
Watson will now disseminate his voice regarding the game of football on a weekly basis in an effort to present his perspective on the sport. Doing a podcast amid the regular season, however, is a practice that has drawn criticism towards other athletes but is becoming more of a regular part of the sports media ecosystem. The seasonal endeavor presents quarterbacks in a different light and allows them to express themselves without utilization of a third-party, such as media members covering a team. Ken Carman, morning radio host on 92.3 The Fan, is glad to hear the Browns’ quarterback breaking down plays and providing his insights to the fans.
“I love it,” Carman said. “We put these guys in these spots – and it’s a contractual thing between the NFL and the fans; really a contractual thing between media and the NFL – and give the conduit for the fans, but it’s very hard to give.”
Carman drew a comparison to former NFL coach Gregg Williams, who appeared on yesterday’s edition of The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima for an interview. Conversing with him in a manner that conveys a sentiment of point-to-point communication rather than the point-to-mass accentuated through microphones and cameras at a press conference comes off to many people as being more authentic in scope.
“You could clearly tell there was a difference between Gregg on the phone with us talking to us and him standing at a podium answering questions from a bunch of people standing in front of him,” Carman said. “They call it a firing squad for a reason basically, so if you have the quarterback a little bit more comfortable here and he’s giving his opinions, I’m going to take this and run with it.”
An important aspect of the podcast’s outside perception will pertain to whether or not the Browns won their football game in the previous week. Carman knows that people will discern that the podcast to be a distraction as a possible explanation for a poor performance, rendering it important that he demonstrates the opposite. Despite that, he is elated to have more organic, firsthand content to consider for discussion on the show.
“I’m going to be able to get this guy on-the-record, in this podcast,” Carman said. “I’m going to support it, and I’m going to want him to do it every single week.”
