What Happened to Quinshon Judkins? Revisiting Why the Browns RB Missed the Start of the Season
The Cleveland Browns have been searching for consistency on offense, and while much of the attention has centered around their quarterback situation, a different story has started to unfold in the backfield.
Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has quickly become one of the team’s most exciting young players, but his journey to this point hasn’t been easy.
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What Happened to Quinshon Judkins in Week 1?
Judkins was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and was anticipated to start training camp in stride. However, as practices started making way towards preseason, it was clear that something was wrong. He wasn’t seen anywhere and wasn’t seen practicing during the month of August. That absence sparked plenty of questions.
It turns out, Judkins’ slow start wasn’t about injuries or performance. Over the summer, he was caught up in an off-field issue that temporarily put his NFL debut on hold. In July, Judkins was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a misdemeanor domestic violence and battery charge after an alleged incident earlier that month.
The case quickly became public, and both the Browns and the NFL launched reviews to determine what had happened.
By mid-August, Florida prosecutors decided not to move forward with the case, citing conflicting accounts and not enough evidence to support formal charges. Still, the situation kept Judkins away from the team and delayed his adjustment to the NFL.
The league continued its own investigation under its personal conduct policy, while the Browns took a cautious approach and waited for everything to play out.
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At the same time, Judkins’s rookie contract negotiations dragged on longer than expected. Reports suggested that the two sides went back and forth over guaranteed money, and he didn’t officially sign his deal until September 6, just one week before the season began.
Missing training camp and the entire preseason meant Judkins had little time to learn the offense or build rhythm with his teammates.
Judkins Taking Big Role in Cleveland’s Offense
When he finally made his debut in Week 2 against the Ravens, it marked a fresh start. Since then, he’s looked every bit like the player Cleveland hoped for. Through three games, Judkins has carried the ball 49 times for 237 yards and two touchdowns, including a breakout 82-yard, one-score performance in Week 4 against the Lions.
From a moment of not playing at all to being the playmaker that Cleveland drafted, it’s a story that fans love to see. Now a big part of the offense, the past has become a distant memory. All eyes head towards Week 5, and continue to expect Judkins to rally the backfield.
This weekend, however, will be a test — the Browns meet the Minnesota Vikings in London, England, for another international NFL game. The showdown is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network.
