Baker Mayfield Shares Major Regret From Time With Browns

The former Browns signal caller joined the Pardon My Take Podcast this week and reflected on his time in Cleveland

Jan 15, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) gestures before the snap against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of a 2024 NFC wild card game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Not so long ago Baker Mayfield was the quarterback that was promised to lift the Cleveland Browns back to prominence.

After leading the franchise to its first playoff win in nearly three decades back in 2020, the prevailing though was that Mayfield would be the franchise QB for years to come. A disappointing 2021 season changed everything though, as Mayfield was reportedly in questionable standing with some of his teammates after the Odell Beckham Jr. saga. Months later, the former No. 1 overall pick was run out of town in favor of Deshaun Watson.

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It's well documented though that Mayfield played much of the 2021 season with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. And while Mayfield was adamant he could play through it, it ultimately cost him his job.

Mayfield joined the Pardon My Take Podcast to reflect on his experience that season and admitted he should have had surgery on the ailment at the time.

"The last year in Cleveland as banged up as I was, looking back," the Buccaneers signal caller began, "I truly believe everything happens for a reason, playing through injuries and what not I wouldn't change it now obviously, but in the midst of it should I have probably gotten surgery and sat out, year probably."

The injury happened early on in the season, after Mayfield threw and interception against the Texans in Week 2 and tried to make a tackle on the play. From then on, he was forced to wear a harness on his non-throwing shoulder that helped limit the pain when he threw the ball. It may have helped the problem, but still noticeably restricted his ability to do his job.

"Watching the tape of those games now, cause after I got surgery I had to like reteach myself my throwing motion," Mayfield explained on the show. "I got with a coach and redid everything cause I had manufactured having an arm stuck to my body, leg was all beat up too, so many factors. Like I said, I'm a stubborn a**hole."

That toughness was a signature part of Mayfield's persona. But there was another reason he felt an obligation to play through the injury that season – Browns fans.

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"Part of it was feeling like I was part of the Cleveland community, like the blue collar attitude of 'we're gonna fight through this.' Not that I'm blaming the Cleveland people, but I feel like that's just that attitude that we had going into it and everybody kind of embraced it, but I wasn't able to play to the best of my ability bu any means.

Mayfield also went on to explain that what transpired after his departure from Cleveland was the lowest point of his career and that getting a fresh start with Tampa Bay has allowed him to re-discover the fun part of football.