Deshaun Watson's Mia Khalifa Clip Resurfaces as Browns QB Plays Final Year of $230M Guaranteed Contract

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is back in the news over a 2017 video featuring him and social media star Mia Khalifa. The clip, showing the pair playing basketball indoors, was reposted on X on Friday, 2 October, drawing renewed attention as Watson enters the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million (about £174 million) contract.

The repost sparked commentary linking the video to later allegations of sexual misconduct against Watson, which he has denied. On the field, the Browns have just made its first 3-1 start since 2021. How he plays now could decide whether he stays in 2027 or makes way for his backup, Shedeur Sanders.

How a 2017 Birthday Video Went Viral Again

Khalifa originally posted the video on 14 September 2017, Watson's 22nd birthday and the day of his first start for the Houston Texans. In the clip, Watson blocks her attempt to dunk on a mini hoop hanging over a door. Khalifa told the celebrity news site TMZ at the time that the two were not dating and had met because Watson lived nearby. She has since deleted the original post from Twitter.

The recent repost, from an account carrying a paid blue tick on X, drew more than 77,000 likes within four days. Since 2021, over two dozen women have accused Watson of sexual misconduct during massage sessions, most through civil lawsuits. Two Texas grand juries declined to indict him, and he had settled 23 of 24 lawsuits by August 2022. Khalifa's basketball video predates the first of those lawsuits by more than three years.

Watson's Return to the Starting Role

Head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starter in August. After losing their opener, the Browns have won three straight, each time taking the lead late in the game. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, club figures show Watson passed for 268 yards in a 27-24 win. He then set up Andre Szmyt, whose 56-yard kick won the game with 10 seconds to play. The National Football League (NFL) posted the final two minutes on YouTube.

Watson's winning run follows a costly start in Cleveland. The Browns gave the Texans three first-round draft picks for Watson in March 2022, only for the NFL to suspended him for 11 games. Because the deal is fully guaranteed, releasing Watson would not cancel what he is still owed. The club announced season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024, and a second Achilles operation sidelined him in 2025. Back as starter, Watson told reporters, 'I have another shot. I have another chance.'

What Happens When the Contract Ends

Team co-owner Jimmy Haslam conceded in 2025 that the 2022 trade with Houston had not worked out. Yet on Friday 31 July, he left open the possibility for Watson to stay beyond 2026, saying, 'I think there are all kinds of possibilities out there.' The Browns also hold two first-round picks in the 2027 draft.

Home fans booed Watson at a pre-season game against the Buffalo Bills in August. He later called the reaction disrespectful. After beating the Carolina Panthers on 27 September, Monken said, 'I'm just really happy for him,' adding that Watson knows he can play better. The next game is away to the New York Jets on Sunday 11 October.