Getty Images Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Carolina Panthers is greeted by tight end David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns.
Richard Sherman and Baker Mayfield have some history and the former All-Pro cornerback ripped into the Panthers quarterback after he lost to the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Mayfield was decent but not great against his former team, especially early. He finished 16-of-27 for 235 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He helped spark a comeback effort but Cleveland extinguished that with a 58-yard Cade York field goal, sealing the 26-24 victory.
Sherman took the opportunity to kick Mayfield while he was down, taking a shot at the Panthers QB after the loss.
“He gave it to them like he was getting paid by them,” Sherman said on “The Richard Sherman Podcast” Monday. “He’s still getting his check from the Cleveland Browns and it looked like it. It looked like he was playing for the Cleveland Browns. He kept them in that ball game.”
In theory, that’s true. As part of the deal that sent Mayfield to Carolina, Cleveland is paying $9.5 million of his 2022 salary, with the Panthers paying $5 million.
Sherman and Mayfield have a bit of history. The then 49ers-cornerback called out Mayfield in 2019 for snubbing him of a handshake at the coin toss of a game. Video later revealed that wasn’t the case.
Sherman Says Mayfield’s Performance Validates Trade
The Browns moving on from Mayfield did not come without some questions and a bit of pushback. While the former top pick had his ups and downs, he had built up some loyalty with some of the fan base and the Browns even backed him as the starter at the end of a disappointing 2021 campaign.
“We fully expect Baker to be our starter and bounce back,” Browns GM Andrew Berry told reporters in January. “Generally speaking, we are looking forward to Baker obviously getting healthy in the offseason and then putting good work into the spring and with his coaches for having the type of season we know he can have moving forward.”
However, the Browns heavily pursued Deshaun Watson in the offseason, landing him in exchange for a haul of draft picks despite uncertainty about his future stemming from sexual misconduct allegations during massage sessions.
Watson is suspended for 11 games but Sherman believes the Browns should feel vincdicated after beating Mayfield.
“The Cleveland Browns couldn’t have got a better gift for Christmas this year to calm their fan base down,” Sherman said. “You see how bad he is? Look at him — look at the interception. Look at the missed throws. Guess what, the Cleveland Browns with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, ‘Nick Chubbed’ their way to a win.
“The quarterback position has about 20 guys who can play the position better than [Mayfield] can play it, and some of them are backups in this league.”
Mayfield Downplays Weight of Loss to Browns
There was lots of lead-up to the “revenge” game between Mayfield and the Browns, an expletive quote from the QB and some shirts with the phrase “off the leash” adding to the anticipation.
But after the loss, Mayfield was clear that it was just a single game and he hopes to get on track the rest of the way with his new squad.
“Everybody made this out to be the Super Bowl,” Mayfield said. “There’s 16 more games. The Super Bowl is not until February. It’s the beginning of September. We’re going to flush this, we’re going to learn, we’re going to be better.”
While Mayfield has his priorities for the Panthers, the Browns will look to keep the momentum rolling against the Jets on September 18.