Getty Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield may have apologized for his criticism of the Cleveland Browns medical staff in regards to how Odell Beckham Jr.’s injury was handled, but another former first-round quarterback believes his comments will have fallout.
Brady Quinn — who played for the Browns from 2007-09 and was taken by the team with the No. 22 overall pick in the draft — believes Mayfield’s words will cause a divide.
“As far as Baker Mayfield goes, he didn’t play well yesterday,” Quinn said while on Sirius XM NFL radio. “They got the win but he didn’t play necessarily well. One of the concerning things is the postgame [he] ends up talking about Odell Beckham and his injury and throwing his medical staff under the bus. And he later tweeted out that he wasn’t trying to throw them under the bus but yeah well, you did.
“Just because you apologized for it doesn’t mean anything. Just stop doing it. That’s the bottom line, is as a leader of the football team, you know, you’re responsible for everyone but that training staff is part of your team. They’re part of that group and that organization. You all should be moving in the same direction. When you make comments like that you may feel like you’re holding them accountable, but really what you’re doing is you’re creating a divide. Like a kind of ‘us’ against ‘them’. And you just don’t see that in the best organizations.”
Freddie Kitchens: Baker Mayfield Understands He Was Wrong
Reports surfaced on Sunday that Beckham was dealing with both an injured groin and a sports hernia that would have to be dealt with in the offseason.
#Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. tells me he’s been experiencing some pain since camp, but he text me this morning saying, “there is no decision on surgery yet.”
After the Browns beat the Bengals 27-19, the topic of Beckham’s health came up in Mayfield’s postgame press conference.
“Yeah, I’d say that wasn’t handled right,” Mayfield said. “He’s not able to run as well as he should be able to, as well as he knows, and that’s frustrating for him. You can sense that’s some of his frustration where that comes from. Wasn’t handled the right way in our training room. So it is what it is. His not 100 percent is still good enough for us. … I think it could’ve been addressed earlier on.”
Baker Mayfield’s full comments on OBJ’s injury: “It wasn’t handled the right way, in our training room…”
Mayfield quickly took to social media to apologize.
“My intentions were not to throw our medical staff under the bus,’’ he tweeted. “No I don’t know all the facts about Odell’s injury. It was emotionally answered because I can sense his frustration and I care about my team and putting us in the best position to win.
“Those people within our building know my intentions and where I am coming from. I truly believe that and I apologize to those that don’t deserve the backlash…. today was a good team win. On to the next one.”
My intentions were not to throw our medical staff under the bus. No I don’t know all the facts about Odell’s injury. It was emotionally answered because I can sense his frustration and I care about my team and putting us in the best position to win.
Kitchens said he addressed the issue with Mayfield and that he knows the topic of injuries — especially to other players— is off limits.
“I have talked to Baker about it this morning. Just like he stated last night, he understands that we do not want him addressing other player’s injuries in that manner especially,” Kitchens said on Monday. “All of that will remain between us, but I know that Baker just like he stated last night understands the severity of it and he understands what he did wrong.”
Browns Joe Schobert, JC Tretter Defend Medical Staff
Both center JC Tretter and linebacker Joe Schobert made it a point to voice their support for the Browns medical staff on Monday after the incident with Mayfield.
Tretter has spent a good part of the last two seasons playing through injury and credited the Browns crew for keeping him on the field.
“They always are looking out for your best interests and what’s going to make it the best for you and keep you healthy and keep you on the field. I’ve never had a bad experience, I don’t know anybody who has had a bad experience with them,” Tretter said. “I have full confidence in them, what they do, the way they approach the team and the players individually. Again, there’s not enough good things I can say about our training staff.”
Schobert delivered a similar sentiment, also saying he understands what happened with Mayfield.
“I’ve only had very positive interactions with our medical staff,” said Schobert, who was drafted by the Browns 2016. “They’ve done everything the right way towards me in my opinion. Anybody who knows Baker knows he’s emotional, he’s a fiery guy, he’s a competitor. In his heart, he wants what’s best for our team.
LB Joe Schobert at the podium.
“If he speaks something after a game, especially after a competitive game, the Battle for Ohio, obviously he’s a young guy, things are said out of context, or he might’ve went down a trail that he didn’t actually mean, but I know where Baker’s heart is, I know the training staff, I know things like that aren’t going to be a real problem for us.”
The Browns will look to push aside the drama and noise as they face the 3-7 Arizona Cardinals this week. After that, it’s another AFC North tilt against the Ravens, who have already qualified for the playoffs with their win against the Bills on Sunday.
The Browns are the last team to beat Baltimore, walloping their rival 40-25 back on Sept. 29.
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