Getty Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
Baker Mayfield gutted through an injury and helped lead the Cleveland Browns to their first victory of the season, downing the Texans 31-21 on Sunday, September 19.
Mayfield took a hard hit while trying to make a tackle after an interception and went to the locker room for a brief moment. But Mayfield emerged and helped lead the Browns to their first victory of the season, despite a painful shoulder injury.
“Kind of popped in and out,” Mayfield said in a post-game media conference.
Baker Mayfield, on his left shoulder injury. “Kinda popped in and out,” but adds he’ll be fine #Browns
Mayfield’s toughness was not lost on his teammates, especially Browns DE Myles Garrett.
“The guy’s tough. He’s like Brett Favre 2.0. Stuff rolls off his back,” Garrett said following the game. “He just rolls with the punches, keeps on coming.”
His head coach Kevin Stefanski also had good things to say.
“I think you guys know this about Baker. He’s a very, very competitive young man,” Stefanski told the media. “He wants to be out there with his teammates. It doesn’t matter if he’s sore. He wants to be out there with his teammates.”
Mayfield appreciated the comments but didn’t give himself too much credit.
“I’m not doing it for any gratification or anything,” Mayfield said when asked about Garrett’s statement. “I put in the work during the week, come out on Sundays because I love the game. I’m going to tough it out because these guys are as well.”
Baker Mayfield, Ground Game Terrific Against Texans
GettyCleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb.
Mayfield was a perfect 10-of-10 against the Texans after returning from the injury, accounting for a pair of touchdowns — one rushing and one passing. Mayfield was helped tremendously from the run game, which came alive, accounting for 156 yards after a slow start.
Nick Chubb pounded for away for 95 yards, while Kareem Hunt provided 51. The Browns were also helped by a slew of injures on the Texans side, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The former Browns QB injured his hamstring while trying to escape Garrett at the end of the first half.
With Taylor sidelined, the Texans turned to rookie Davis Mills, who was just 8 of 18 for 101 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
Baker Mayfield Taking on Leadership Role With Browns
Mayfield has always been a leader for the Browns but has really stepped up his leadership role this season. After a 33-29 opening loss to the Chiefs, Mayfield rallied the troops in the locker room.
“There is a fine line of beating yourself up after it and then realizing there are 16 more. I think we should beat ourselves up about it because we feel like we should have won that game, but there are 16 more,” Mayfield told reporters on September 15. “It is the mentality of ‘Hey, we have to go out next week and go do our jobs, but this one should sting and we need to learn from it because we had that game and need to close it out.’ There is a fine line of walking that. That was my message to them of we are going to be really good if we just do our job and continue to be efficient in moving the chains and help out our defense by staying on the field, but this one needs to sting and you need to remember that and that all of the little things matter. That is how we should approach the week of practice.”
Baker and the Browns look to move to 2-1 next weekend against the Bears.
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