There is no doubt that Baker Mayfield is entering the 2022 season with a chip on his shoulder, but the Carolina Panthers quarterback may have just given the Cleveland Browns some bulletin board material ahead of their Week 1 matchup.
NFL Network sideline reporter Cynthia Frelund revealed on the Around the NFL podcast that she spoke to Mayfield on the sideline of Friday’s preseason game against the Bills and wished him good luck. She mentioned she’s especially looking forward to him facing his former team in Week 1.
Mayfield apparently responded: “I’m gonna f—k them up.”
Frelund did not want to curse on the podcast, but co-host Dan Hanzus asked if that was the quote, which she replied, “Yes.”
Mayfield is not scheduled to speak to the media until his scheduled availability next Wednesday, but if the Week 1 matchup between the Browns and Panthers needed anymore juice, he certainly delivered.
The Panthers quarterback has not shied away from acknowledging that facing his former team means a little extra.
On. Aug. 22, Mayfield told reporters that it was more than “just a game,” adding he is “not going to sit here and be a robot and say it doesn’t mean anything. It will.”
The Browns drafted Mayfield No. 1 overall in 2018 and he led the team to its first playoff victory since 1994 during the 2020 season with a first-round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He appeared to regress last season, however, after the team declined to give him an extension. Mayfield was playing through a handful of injuries, but there were also reports of him not being on the same page as Kevin Stefanski.
The Browns then traded for Watson, despite knowing a suspension was likely coming, before ultimately trading Mayfield to the Panthers where he quickly won the starting job over Sam Darnold.
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