Getty Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield understands that with all the hype surrounding the Cleveland Browns this season, there won’t be one week where they sneak up on opponent.
He also knowns that the Browns — and himself, specifically — have given their opposition a locker room full of bulletin board material to draw from thanks to some high-profile interviews and gracing the covers of magazines from ESPN to GQ and Sports Illustrated.
But in typical Mayfield fashion, the star quarterback isn’t backing down from the challenge. He’s embracing it.
“We want to get somebody’s best shot every game. We have to bring it every week,” Mayfield told reporters Wednesday. “At the same time, that means we are doing something right if people want to beat us. Going into a game and people not giving effort is no fun. You want to compete against the best and play against the best.”
Freddie Kitchens Blocking Out the National Noise
GettyCleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens.
Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens has been very clear that he wants his team to ignore the national media’s “fluff,” and for the expectations for his squad to come strictly from inside the building.
But when it comes to that bullseye on the team’s back that comes with having such high expectations, well, Kitchens doesn’t even understand what that means.
“I don’t know what a ‘bullseye’ is,” Kitchens added. “Does anybody know?”
Kitchens later expanded with very similar sentiment to Mayfield.
“We’re going to get somebody’s best effort,” Kitchens said. “What does that tell you? That’s being disrespectful for the team you’re playing if you don’t think you’re not getting their best effort. What are they going to do, sit 10 starters or something? I don’t understand that.”
Baker Mayfield Clears the Air With Giants Rookie Daniel Jones
GettyBrowns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield found himself entrenched in controversy on Tuesday when comments he made in a GQ article about Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones went viral.
Here’s what Mayfield said that drew the ire of the internet:
Near our booth, a SportsCenter segment about the New York Giants catches Mayfield’s eye. “I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones,” Mayfield says, about New York’s much-maligned draft-day decision to spend the sixth pick on the quarterback from Duke (whose college record was a measly 17–19). “Blows my mind.”
I tell Mayfield that I’m mystified that so many supposedly expert quarterback scouts seem unable to predict what makes a good NFL quarterback.
“Some people overthink it,” Mayfield says. “That’s where people go wrong. They forget you’ve gotta win.”
Mayfield sent out a message on Wednesday on a Barstool Sports Instagram post saying that he was taken out of context and expanded on that during his press conference on Wednesday.
“It had nothing to do specifically about Daniel,” he said. “I reached out to Daniel because all of that blew way out of hand and I wanted him to know how I felt. I’ve heard nothing but great things from Saquon and Sterling Shepard, guys who have nothing but respect for him, and I respect their opinions. I just wanted to clear the air with him.”
The Browns play their third preseason game on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Most are the starters are expected to see some time after sitting out against the Colts last week.
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