Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson shares news of his father's passing just before the team's season begins.

On Sunday, Deshaun Watson will play against the Dallas Cowboys with a heavy heart.

Don Richardson, the father of Cleveland Browns quarterback, passed away on Friday as announced by his son on social media.

"Rest in Peace Pops," Watson wrote on an Instagram story.

Watson, 28, reportedly had a strained relationship with his father, as he rarely saw him. (Source: Houston Chronicle, 2017)

Watson said, "At the most, five times."

"My mother played both roles in my life, so I didn't pay much attention to it. While my friends had fathers, for me, it was just a matter of relying on my mother and focusing on her."

The quarterback uses his mother's last name instead of Richardson.

Watson, who led Clemson University to a national championship with a last-minute touchdown over Alabama, is currently facing immense pressure this season after being selected by the Houston Texans with the 12th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of his Browns tenure in 2022 after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct.

In 2022, Watson played the final six games of the season with the Browns, achieving a record of 3-3. In 2023, Watson led the Browns to a 5-1 start before sustaining an injury and undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in November.

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