Getty Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
There has been a heaping serving of criticism for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield following a blowout loss to the Steelers and his wife has heard enough.
Emily Mayfield took to Instagram on Monday to issue a message to the haters who were going after her husband.
“He’s not in an easy position,” she wrote. “And he’s grinding for this city. It takes time. Don’t send me some stupid s—.”
The message was reposted on another post defending Mayfield, pointing out his lack of consistency with four head coaches in three years and the Browns miserable 1-31 record in the previous two seasons before he was drafted No. 1 overall.
Baker Mayfield the Unquestioned Starter in Cleveland
Mayfield had one of his roughest outings as a pro against the Steelers on Sunday. He was 10-of-18 for 119 yards and one touchdown, but also tossed two intercetpions, one going the other way for a pick-six. However, Mayfield was playing through a chest injury he suffered last week in a win against the Colts, although he didn’t make any excuses.
“We just got outplayed today,” Mayfield said. “That’s what happens when you don’t execute. Great teams capitalize on your mistakes, and that’s what they did. That was the difference.”
#Browns QB Baker Mayfield: “We just got outplayed today. That’s what happens when you don’t execute.”
Mayfield was pulled at the end of the third quarter for veteran Case Keenum, but head coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t leave any question about who the starter is in Cleveland.
“As long as he’s healthy,” Stefanski said, “and I think he will be.”
Stefanski said he pulled Mayfield to protect him from taking hits, which were coming at a torrid pace against the tough Steelers defense.
Stefanski said he didn’t want to see Mayfield get hit again and took him out of the game. #Browns
“I didn’t want to see him get hit one more time,” Stefanski told reporters after the loss. “I know this, I didn’t do a good enough job allowing him to be put in [successful] positions. I have to do way better. I can’t let him get hit like that.”
Baker Mayfield Expected to Practice More This Week
Stefanski said Mayfield feels less sore this week, which should help him practice more.
“Baker is sore, but he’s nowhere near as sore as how he was last Monday, so that’s a positive,” Stefanski said. “I’m confident in our medical staff and confident in Baker that he’s going to progress each one of these days and then get better.”
Mayfield has a chance to turn things around this week against a Bengals team he passed for a season-high 219 yards against in Week 2. But he’ll have to minimize turnovers, with four interceptions in his past two games.
“That is a fine line right between aggressive and smart. That is why you have to work really hard during the week,” Stefanski said when asked about Mayfield’s aggressiveness. “Understanding where you are in the game a lot of times is when you can let it rip and take a shot at a certain area. You think about those two-minute drives where sometimes you have to fit a ball in a tight window because it is third-and-10 and you must have it. Other times, a check down is the answer. I think that is part of playing the position and understanding what the moment in the game calls for.”
Cleveland opened as a 3.5-point favorite for the matchup with the Bengals.