Browns rally past Steelers 27-24 on Watson’s game‑winning drive

Deshaun Watson led the Cleveland Browns to a 27‑24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, October 2, 2026, after a decisive fourth‑quarter drive that set up Andre Szmyt’s 56‑yard field goal with ten seconds remaining.

The Browns entered the final quarter trailing 24‑21 after the Steelers tied the game with a three‑yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Pat Freiermuth and a successful two‑point conversion. Watson answered with a 46‑yard, four‑of‑five series, including two completions to Jerry Jeudy for 27 yards, that positioned the ball for Szmyt’s game‑winning kick.

"I knew it was money. He told me the landmark, so he was just lining it up and we see it all the time," Watson said after the drive.

Szmyt’s 56‑yard field goal, his longest of a career, gave Cleveland a 27‑24 lead with just ten seconds left. It extended his streak of successful attempts to 22 and secured the Browns’ third straight fourth‑quarter comeback.

Watson finished with 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rodgers completed 22 of 40 throws for 299 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, the latter coming on a Hail Mary attempt that Grant Delpit intercepted at the Browns’ 18‑yard line with one second left.

Cleveland’s defense applied consistent pressure, recording five sacks and ten quarterback hits, while also dealing with injuries to defensive tackle Mason Graham, who left in the first quarter, and DT Mike Hall Jr., who returned after a brief ankle issue.

"I honestly said, ‘I’ll hit it from anywhere,’" Szmyt said. "I told him ‘let’s get to the 42, maybe a 60‑yard field goal.’ He got me a couple extra yards, so kudos to him."

Coach Todd Monken praised Watson’s poise, noting the back‑to‑back fourth‑quarter victories highlighted the team’s resilience. The win brought the Browns to a 3‑1 record, the best start since 2001, and extended their streak of eight consecutive Thursday‑night wins—the longest active run and fourth longest in NFL history, with four of those wins coming against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh fell to 2‑2 on the road against AFC North rivals on Thursdays, a slump that underscores the division’s competitive balance. The Steelers next host Indianapolis on October 11, while the Browns travel to New York to face the Jets the same day.