Deshaun Watson is a married man and the Cleveland Browns quarterback is “sailing away” after the wedding.
Watson tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Jilly Anais this week, capping their years-long relationship with a private ceremony. The couple got engaged in March and didn’t wait long to make it official.
“I finally made it to this moment. Now, I’m here to say, I’m finna get married in a day,” Watson wrote on Wednesday, the day before the wedding. “And I look to the sky and I say, ‘Thank you, Lord.’ More GLORY!”
The ceremony was a family-focused affair. Rather than opting for a traditional wedding party, the couple chose to keep it intimate, with their brothers serving as Man of Honor and Best Man.
Watson and Anais have weathered public scrutiny throughout their relationship. Anais stood by Watson through a high-profile 11-game suspension in 2022 following more than 20 allegations of sexual misconduct. Watson later reached a settlement with the NFL and paid a $5 million fine for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds set off on their honeymoon, which Watson hinted is taking place aboard a yacht.
“We sailing away,” Watson wrote on social media.
Anais commented: “It’s time for 4everrrrrrrrr baby! Lessss’ Goo”
Deshaun Watson Praised for Input With Browns
Watson is still working his way back from a ruptured Achilles, and his availability for the upcoming season remains in doubt. The Browns expect him to miss most — if not all — of the year.
But while Watson’s return to the field is uncertain, his presence around the team has been a noticeable shift from previous rehabs. The veteran quarterback has been a regular at offseason workouts and meetings, earning praise for staying engaged during his recovery. He’s also shared videos on social media, documenting his rehab sessions at the Browns’ training facility.
It’s a change from past seasons, when Watson rehabbed away from the team. His decision to stay close has helped rebuild trust and good will within the organization.
“The Browns were not overjoyed that he wasn’t around during the tough times of the 3-14 season after he re-ruptured the Achilles the first time,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan. “They were not overjoyed that he wasn’t around very much. Even though he had rehabbed the shoulder in Los Angeles, there was sort of a feeling like, ‘Hey, it would be nice to have you around here.’
“Well, that’s all changed now. He has been here every day since he had the second surgery, and he has been present in the building. The coaches have raved about what he’s done inside the building in terms of helping other guys and things like that. He’s not as much of a villain, I don’t think, amongst his teammates as he is amongst the fan base.”
Deshaun Watson Unlikely to Play for Browns Again
While Watson has been more present, his future in Cleveland remains uncertain. The Browns are staging a four-man quarterback competition in training camp to decide their starter. The group includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Depending on how the season plays out, the Browns could prioritize adding a top-tier quarterback in the 2026 draft, especially since they’ll own two first-round selections. One belongs to them outright, and the other was acquired through their blockbuster draft-day trade.
The Browns have also publicly moved on from Watson, with owner Jimmy Haslam calling the trade for the former Pro Bowler a “swing and miss.”
