Reporter Rips ‘Disrespectful’ Baker Mayfield After Rant

Baker Mayfield set the internet ablaze during his weekly press conference on Wednesday, storming out after a line of questioning set him off.

The target of Mayfield’s rant was veteran Cleveland sports writer Tony Grossi, who has a history with Mayfield. The two often spar in press conferences and Mayfield and their beef goes back to before the Browns selected the former Heisman winner with the top overall pick in the 2018 draft.

After Mayfield’s tirade, in which he called Grossi’s “dumbest question you could ask,” Grossi responded while on ESPN 850 in Cleveland, saying he doesn’t want to be part of the story but saying that the Browns QB has been repeatedly “disrespectful” to him.

“I didn’t want to be in a confrontation with the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns, but he had been disrespectful so many times in the last couple weeks in response to simple questions by me,” Grossi said.

Grossi admitted that he believes the beef goes back to the pre-draft reporting he wrote on Mayfield, which noted that he wanted first-class airfare when making visits. He also hinted that Mayfield wasn’t able to pay for the upgrades himself.

“He demanded to be upgraded to first class,” Grossi said on the radio. “It took him, like, three credit cards before one was good enough to use. What does that say?”

That tension has carried over to their day-to-day, which is often very contentious.

“I think it goes back to the pre-draft conversations we had, things I said, things I wrote. OK, fine, but you have to move along,” Grossi said. “I tried to talk to him twice, alone, but he just wants no part of that. If he’s not going to do that I have to do my job as best as I can.”

Mayfield has been known to hold a grudge, reportedly even keeping a list of media members that have “crossed the line.”

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Baker Mayfield’s Frustration Boils Over in Presser

What started the ordeal was Grossi asking about the lack of urgency at the end of the first half against the Patriots.

“Stop saying but,” Mayfield told Grossi. “I just told you the clock was running and we had a penalty. You want to give them the ball back? No. You don’t play, you don’t know. That’s just plain and simple.”

Grossi followed up with, “Were you happy with that drive?”

“Was I happy with the drive? No, we didn’t score points,” Mayfield answered. “The dumbest question you could ask. What? Jesus, Tony.”

After retreating from the media session, Mayfield put his frustrations into his own words via Twitter, where he shot out a pair of tweets.

“Everybody wants to hear the truth until they actually get it…. I am who I am and always have been. Don’t call it emotional when it’s convenient and then passion when it fits. I care about winning, so yeah I’m frustrated. If I was to act like it’s okay to lose, then y’all would say that I’ve gotten complacent. My sense of urgency is at an all time high. And if I offend anybody along the way… that’s too bad.”

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Mayfield has reason to be sensitive when asked about his play. After a stellar first season where he set the record for touchdown passes by a rookie (27) in just 13 starts, Mayfield has found himself on the run during most snaps this season. He’s been sacked 21 times and has thrown 12 interceptions, which is tied for the most in the NFL.

Against Broncos Backup QB, Browns Can’t Falter

At just 2-5 and on a three-game losing streak, the Browns need to string together wins to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

First up is a trip to Denver this week, where the Browns will take on the Broncos and backup quarterback Brandon Allen, who does not have an NFL completion to his name. Starter Joe Flacco was ruled out with a herniated disk in his neck, which may cost him the rest of his first season in Denver as the team looks for the best solution going forward.

“We need to win every game in the worst way,” Kitchens said. “You do not look ahead. You stay in the moment. I think our guys will do a great job of staying in the moment, preparing on Wednesday, then coming back and preparing on Thursday Friday and going to playing the game. Eliminate the penalties, eliminate the turnovers and we will be fine.”

The Browns are just a 3-point road favorite for the game.

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