Did Baker Mayfield actually promise to “f%^k up” the Cleveland Browns in NFL season opener?

Having recently had some rather provocative comments attributed to him, the Panthers new starting QB has seemingly denied that he ever said such things.

Baker Mayfield walks back on comments about Cleveland Browns

While it’s clear, that Baker Mayfield feels that he was “100 percent” disrespected by the Cleveland Browns after they took a U-Turn on him and instead opted to acquire Deshaun Watson for a record breaking contract, it now appears that he was not so bothered that he said what some say he did. Indeed, following a recent claim that was made about specific comments that he allegedly made, the former No. 1 Draft pick was quick to clarify that he did not in fact say what is alleged ahead of his new team’s season opener against his former team on September 11th.

Fans will recall that it was just earlier this week that the NFL’s Cynthia Frelund revealed that she had spoken with Mayfield following the Panthers’ preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills last Friday. Frelund, explained that Mayfield allegedly gave an expletive based warning to the Browns, when he said “I’m gonna f--- them up.” Mayfield, however, has since pushed back on the idea saying, that he didn’t go so far. “I want to win in everything I do, that’ll never change,” he said. “That is not how I phrased it, that’s not even what I said, so I’ll just leave it at that.” Incidentally, Frelund also downplayed her intial statement about Mayfield’s comments at the time.

The Browns weren’t too bothered by Mayfield’s ‘comments’

One of the interesting things that came out of the apparently provocative scenario, was the response by one of the Browns’ players. It was Cleveland’s pass rusher Myles Garrett who offered a a rebuttle saying, “We’ve known he has that type of demeanor and that attitude, and for better or for worse, it works for him. ...And I’m not mad at him using that fire and that chip on his shoulder to help him play to the level he has. He’s been successful in what he’s done. ...We’ll take it and we’ll use it, and I’m hoping for a great matchup. I don’t think any less of him because he’s going out there and doing the same thing he did when he was with us. He’s the same guy personally, and maybe we’ll see a different Baker when we get on the field. Who knows?”

It should be said, that in some ways Mayfield’s position is very understandable. Public grateful to the city of Cleveland and their team on numerous occasions, one can only imagine how the new Panthers QB would have felt when the Browns showed him the door due to the acquisition of Watson, who it must also be said is now suspended after his high controversial case which stemmed from his sexual misconduct hearing. What does this season hold for the Browns and will Mayfield make good on the fresh start that he openly indicated he wanted? That’s anybody’s guess, but one thing is certain and that’s the idea that come September 11th, we’re going to get some insight into the answer.