There was a lot of chaos that took place during the Cleveland Browns 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers during their Week 2 Monday night action. While Nick Chubb's gruesome injury took center stage, Deshaun Watson also made waves for picking up a pair of facemask penalties and shoving a referee throughout the game.

Late in the game, Watson was jawing with the Steelers sideline while a referee was attempting to push him back towards the field. Watson shoved the referee to the side in order to continue barking at the sideline, leading many fans to cry foul over the Browns quarterback's foolish decision. Many wondered whether the NFL could opt to punish Watson for his actions here, but in a statement on the incident, it doesn't sound like the league has any plans to penalize Watson here.

Article Continues Below
More Cleveland Browns News
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws during NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Shedeur Sanders doesn’t get any 1st-team reps at OTAsMike Gianakos ·
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) warms up on the field prior to the game against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
NFL rumors: Falcons insider picks Browns Kirk Cousins trade idea over SteelersZachary Weinberger ·
Featured image Deion Sanders Shedeur Sanders
Deion Sanders ‘hurt’ by negative Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ draft perceptionDylan Fine ·
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski (center), Browns lineman Zak Zinter (left) and Pittsburgh safety Donovan McMillon (right)
3 Cleveland Browns hidden gems on 2025 roster you need to knowJaren Kawada ·
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Former Browns first-round OL makes big decision on 2025 campaignDouglas Fritz ·
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) listens to the play calling on the sideline during an NFL practice at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Berea, Ohio.
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders blasts negative pre-draft rumors around Shedeur SandersPreston Byers ·

Given how this was a heat of the moment encounter, it's fair to say that Deshaun Watson wasn't intentionally shoving the referee here, which is why the NFL has opted to not punish him. Given how strict the league is with other incidents, though, it's somewhat surprising to see that they have taken such a lenient stance here with Watson.

While Watson won't be suspended for Cleveland's Week 3 contest against the Tennessee Titans, he could still be fined for the pair of facemask penalties he picked up throughout this game. The Browns will likely be relieved that their starting quarterback will largely escape this incident without any sort of retribution, but Watson needs to be making smarter decisions in these instances in the future.