What did Baker Mayfield have to say about his former team the Cleveland Browns?
With Carolina’s new starting QB making clear what he intends to do to his former team, we could be in for an epic opening to the NFL regular season.
After a less than smooth move from the Browns to the Panthers, Cleveland’s former quarterback has made it clear - with a few choice words - that he intends to bring the pain when they next cross paths.
Baker Mayfield has a message for the Cleveland Browns
If there is one thing that’s clear, it’s that Baker Mayfield is not happy with his former team the Cleveland Browns. Indeed, the QB said that the Browns “100 percent” disrespected him when they walked back on their commitment to him in favor of the now suspended Deshaun Watson. With that, the former No. 1 overall draft pick and new Panthers QB has his heart set on revenge. The Panthers, will of course host the Browns on September 11th in their season opener and Mayfield had a simple message for them. “I’m gonna f--- them up.”
Mayfield’s comments came after the Panthers’ preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills. At the time he was approached by Cynthia Frelund of “Around the NFL” who wanted to wish him well for the season. What she got in response, however, were the words of a player who has one thing in mind for his former squad. “I walked up to him,” Frelund explained, “and I’m like, ‘Go kick some butt. Especially Week 1.’ And he used some expletives. I was like, ‘I just hope you’re ready.’ He’s like, ‘I’m gonna bleep them up,’” confirming he actually said “f--- them up.” Though Frelund has since tried to diminish the importance of Mayfield’s comments, we’re banking on the idea that the match between the Panthers and Browns may well be the most dramatic of Week 1.
The Cleveland Browns respond to Baker Mayfield
Interestingly and expectedly, it wasn’t long before Browns had their say on Mayfield’s contentious comments. Speaking on his former teammate’s unofficial warning, Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett was surprisingly understanding in his response. “We’ve known he has that type of demeanor and that attitude, and for better or for worse, it works for him,” Garrett said. “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?”
The NFL is unpredictable and Baker Mayfield learned that
The interesting thing about the whole scenario, is that Mayfield may just have a justified reason for being angry at his former team. Were it not for an injury plagued 2021 campaign he would likely have secured the spot for the long term, but then things took an unexpected turn when the Browns went after and finally secured the services of the aforementioned Watson. The former Texans star was given a record $230 million guaranteed contract which divided opinion across the league. Needless to say, with all that has happened with Watson since, one could be forgiven for sympathizing with Mayfield.
Yet, such is the nature of the unpredictable market in the NFL. With the starting job now secure in Carolina, all we can do is wait to see what Mayfield does with his new opportunity.