Getty Mark Wahlberg and Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield knows no pain, no gain.
The Cleveland Browns quarterback is taking his offseason preparation seriously and has been hitting the gym with noted workout warrior and actor Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg posted a video working out with Mayfield at F45 Training in Sherman Oaks, California on Tuesday.
Baker in the gym with @MarkWahlberg
“This guy knows what he’s doing. He’s a tough guy” 💪
Wahlberg has been a big supporter of Mayfield since he entered the league out of Oklahoma as the No. 1 overall pick. After Mayfield’s first preseason game in Cleveland, Wahlberg gave Mayfield a shoutout on social media, saying the team got a star.
The “Ted” actor also made a gutsy bet on the Browns to win over 5.5 games last season — coming off an 0-16 season. He said that he would cash in if Mayfield was at the helm, and was correct, as Cleveland won five of their final seven games with the rookie at QB.
@bakermayfield got in a workout with @markwahlberg on Tuesday in California #Browns
However, Wahlberg — a noted Patriots fan — would have liked to see Mayfield land in New England.
“We’re gonna get Baker Mayfield to come be the quarterback after Brady retires,” Wahlberg said last year after the draft.
Seems farfetched, but maybe Marky Mark has some inside information.
GettyCleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield has MVP Expectations
Wahlberg isn’t the only believer in Baker.
The latest bit of fuel for the ever-growing Cleveland hype-train comes from NFL.com’s Adam Schein, who put Mayfield high on his list of MVP candidates.
Mayfield is No. 3 on Schein’s list, behind only Philip Rivers and reigning MVP, Patrick Mahomes.
Last season, Mayfield supplanted Tyrod Taylor as the starter in Week 3 against the Jets and went on to throw for 3,725 yards and had 27 touchdowns, breaking the record for touchdown passes by a rookie QB.
Adding to the degree of difficulty was that Mayfield used just 13.5 games to do it. Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning — who previously shared the record — started all 16 games their rookie seasons.
Most importantly, however, Mayfield helped make the Browns relevant again, leading the team to a 7-8-1 record a year after a winless 0-16 campaign. Mayfield is also expected to see a big jump in his numbers thanks to the addition of Odell Beckham Jr., easily a top 10 wide receiver in the league.
“Mayfield won’t fail. He can’t fail. He has the talent, moxie, work ethic, accuracy and leadership skills to push the Browns to the playoffs,” Schein wrote of Mayfield.
It’s high praise for the second-year Browns QB, putting him ahead of the likes of established star quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck.