CLEVELAND >> As Deshaun Watson tucked the ball under his arm and collapsed without being touched, some Browns fans cheered.

For all the wrong reasons.

Cleveland’s polarizing quarterback, who has divided the team’s fan base since his arrival two years ago, suffered an apparent season-ending Achilles tendon injury on Sunday in the first half of a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

It’s yet another startling twist in Watson’s tenure with the Browns, who believed they were getting a franchise quarterback when they signed him to a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract in 2022.

Now, everything is uncertain.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who has stuck with Watson this season despite his uneven play, didn’t officially rule out the QB for the remainder of the season. But all signs point to the 29-year-old missing the rest of the year.

“That’s what it looks like,” Stefanski said.

Watson’s leg crumpled on a non-contact play as he dropped back to pass with 1:26 left before halftime. As he planted, Watson’s calf appeared to quiver before he gave himself up and dropped to the turf.

The embattled Watson, whose two-plus seasons with Cleveland have been marked by off-field problems, injuries and poor play, covered his head with a towel as he was carted off.

While he was down, the Browns and Bengals left their sidelines to surround him and offer support.

Initially, some boos could be heard before fans realized the severity of Watson’s injury.

Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter as the Bengals (3-4) ended a six-game losing streak at Cleveland.

While he has played well against every team in the NFL, Burrow had struggled against the Browns, coming in 1-5 overall and 0-3 on the road.

He completed 15 of 25 passes for 181 yards.