Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield could miss time after a frightening injury to his throwing hand left him screaming on the turf Sunday.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield dislocated his right thumb and will undergo an MRI on Monday. The extent of the injury and his recovery timetable remain uncertain.
Mayfield was attempting to keep a play alive on a scramble late in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings when he took a hit to his hand. He immediately went down, with his screams audible on the broadcast as players from both teams took a knee.
Mayfield eventually got up and slammed his helmet on the sideline after the play. Bowles said initial X-rays did not show a fracture. Mayfield did not return, leaving rookie Jalon Daniels to finish the game. Tampa Bay lost 23-16 and fell to 0-3. Mayfield completed 17 of 34 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception while taking six sacks.
Baker Mayfield Injury Follows Frustrating Loss to Browns
The injury came a week after Mayfield missed a chance to knock off the team that drafted him. Tampa Bay fell 23-19 to Cleveland in Week 2 despite having an opportunity to score the winning touchdown late. A lightning delay halted the game for more than two hours, but the Buccaneers still had a chance to finish the drive when play resumed.
Instead, Mayfield’s fourth-down pass toward Emeka Egbuka in the end zone fell incomplete. He finished with 182 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception as the Buccaneers squandered a 10-point second-half lead.
Mayfield at least entered the season with his long-term future settled. He agreed to a three-year, $165 million extension before the opener, keeping him under contract through 2029 and making him the highest-paid player in franchise history.
“Baker is the heartbeat of this team, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have a quarterback and leader like him,” general manager Jason Licht said when the deal was announced.
Deshaun Watson Delivers Late as Browns Improve to 2-1
The Browns followed their win over Mayfield with another late escape, beating the Carolina Panthers 21-18 on Sunday to improve to 2-1.
Deshaun Watson’s final numbers were modest: 16-of-30 passing for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Cleveland opened the second half with three consecutive three-and-outs, allowing Carolina to erase an early deficit and take the lead.
But Watson delivered when the Browns needed him most. Trailing 18-13, Cleveland drove 55 yards for the winning score. Watson briefly left the game after a hit that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty, then returned to find Harold Fannin Jr. for a 14-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining.
“The energy, the fans, it was amazing. They kept believing in us, they kept the energy up. I know there was a little lull in the game, but that’s going to happen. But overall, we didn’t give up and we fed off their energy,” Watson said. “The defense made stops, they did a great job at the end, keeping them to field goals and giving us a chance. We continued to feed off that energy of the crowd and we wanted to make a special play. I told the guys in the huddle, man just believing in me and I’m going to use my legs. Whenever that play comes up, make that play and Harold did.”
Watson followed with a two-point conversion pass to Denzel Boston, putting Cleveland ahead by three. Ronnie Hickman’s interception on Carolina’s final possession sealed the Browns’ second consecutive victory.
The Browns now face a quick turnaround, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
Ex-Browns QB Baker Mayfield Gets Bad News After Scary Injury