Report: Cleveland Browns believed Baker Mayfield 'childish' and 'immature,' divided locker room
With Baker Mayfield’s wish to be traded from the Cleveland Browns finally granted this past week, more details are beginning to come out about the quarterback’s relationship with his former team.
In an article from The Athletic published Thursday, Browns reporter Jason Lloyd wrote that the franchise viewed Mayfield as “childish and immature.” He expanded on this by adding that it wasn’t just the front office or coaches that grew frustrated with the quarterback’s antics either.
“His behavior annoyed teammates and divided the locker room,” Lloyd wrote. “He was often difficult to coach.”
The Browns’ disdain for Baker Mayfield has been well-documented, especially after ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported they were looking for “an adult” to be their quarterback. That was the final blow to their relationship as Mayfield made his preference to play elsewhere clear from that point on. Ultimately, he ended up being shipped to the Carolina Panthers a little more than three months later.
Mayfield’s personality has led him to be a controversial figure ever since his time at Oklahoma, where he once drew ire for planting the school’s flag at midfield following a road victory at Ohio State. His fiery demeanor has carried over into the NFL, endearing him to some teammates but apparently rubbing others the wrong way. He has still found success, even leading Cleveland to its first playoff appearance in 17 years during the 2020 season.
However, a lackluster follow up campaign in 2021 caused the Browns to rethink his future with the team.
Injuries plagued him as he threw for the lowest amount of touchdowns in his career (17). The Browns finished just 8-9 and missed the postseason for the third time in the four years since drafting Mayfield No. 1 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Because the Browns are a franchise with a reputation for questionable moves and mediocrity, it’s hard to tell how much is true of their claims on Mayfield. After all, they did bring in Deshaun Watson — a man who recently faced accusations of sexual misconduct from 24 women — as his “adult” replacement.
This upcoming season in Carolina will tell a lot about Mayfield’s maturity if he is able to get along with his Panthers teammates and coaches. There is definitely a lot of potential for success with an offense that includes playmakers such as Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore. Still, lingering questions about the health of both Mayfield and McCaffrey plus team chemistry should keep expectations somewhat tempered to start off.
That said, Baker Mayfield won’t have to wait long to get his revenge against the Browns. Carolina is set to open the season at home against Cleveland on Sept. 11.