Getty Images Baker Mayfield of the Carolina Panthers.
Baker Mayfield continues to take shots at the Cleveland Browns in advance of their Week 1 matchup.
Mayfield has found himself in more than a few headlines this week for comments he allegedly made about his former team, saying he wanted to “f–k them up.” He denied expressing that sentiment to a sideline reporter but added some extra fuel to the fire with a shirt he released ahead of the matchup with the Browns.
The shirt has large print on the front that reads, “Off the leash” with a broken dog collar, a pretty clear dig at the Browns. The online reaction wasn’t kind to Mayfield, who tossed 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season.
“If Baker was on a leash last year, imagine how many interceptions he is going to throw now that’s off the leash. Canton better have a space ready for some history,” one fan tweeted.
Mayfield Said Matchup With Browns Mean More
Even the fact that Mayfield has made a shirt commemorating his chance at revenge against his former team is a bold move. After being selected with the top overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mayfield spent four seasons in Cleveland before an ugly divorce this offseason.
Mayfield has been clear that seeing the Browns for the opener is something he’s looking forward to.
“I’m not going to sit here and be a robot and tell you that’s not one I’ve marked on the calendar already,” Mayfield said in an interview posted July 12 on the Panthers’ team website. “One, that’s not who I am. To me, it’s about winning games. Whoever we have marked on the schedule, I’m going to try to win. Obviously, this one has a little more history and personal meaning, but for me, it’s about winning and setting the tone for the rest of the year, and however I can help this team do that, I’m going to do.”
Browns Have Extra Motivation Against Mayfield
The quote “f–k them up” quote reported by NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund got some run this week, including within the Browns’ locker room. Mayfield spoke on the scuttlebutt after practice on August 31.
“First, I didn’t say it,” Mayfield said. “Obviously, everybody’s going to write whatever story they want. There’s history that I played there the last four years. I’m an extremely competitive person. Everybody knows that. If I wasn’t wanting to win it would be a really big issue, me being quarterback here. I want to win in everything I do. That will never change.”
Regardless if he said it or not, he’s revved up the Browns defense, including star defensive Myles Garrett, who now has extra incentive to get to his former QB.
“Of course, we’ll use it. It will be motivation. It will be fuel,” Garrett told reporters. “But at the end of the day a guy is going to do anything he can to try and get one thousandth of a percent better, and if it takes that to hype him up or us using it to hype us up, it’s all going to add to the fire for both teams.”
Mayfield and the Browns are currently a 2-point home favorite for the matchup.