BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns quarterback baker Mayfield has been playing with a torn labrum according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Mayfield suffered the injury against the Houston September 19 in the second quarter while trying to tackle safety Justin Reid, who had just intercepted a pass.
Following the game Mayfield said his left shoulder popped out and back in.
Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been dealing with a similar injury since his college days at LSU.
“I tell you, that s*** hurts, so he’s tough,” Beckham said Thursday. “It doesn’t feel good. There’s days where I woke up that first day after Monday I couldn’t certainly life the arm. You heard that little [pop sound] but it is what it is. We’re gonna go play football. He’s tough. He’s gonna go play.”
Wednesday Mayfield downplayed the injury’s affects on his recent play but acknowledged he has been wearing a shoulder harness.
“Missing the throws, and then the same problems – hitting the guys that are open, taking what’s there,” Mayfield said Wednesday. “Yeah, just gotta get it corrected.”
The Browns did not list Mayfield on the injury report leading up to the Vikings game or on Wednesday.
After leading the NFL in completion percentage through the first two games at 81.63%, Mayfield has completed just 53.13% the last two weeks in wins over the Bears and Vikings.
“I think there's no doubt in any of the players' minds that he's one of the tougher guys out there,” left guard Joel Bitono said. “He's going to go and he's going to battle, and he's been hit and beat up before, and he just keeps coming back. You're going to have to do a lot more to get him out of games than whatever is going on with him now.
“He's just focused on trying to get better each week and trying to be the best quarterback for this team. We're trying to rally around him and protect him and put him in the best possible positions.”
Mayfield has come under criticism for his recent play prompting the quarterback to post a message on his Instagram Story Wednesday evening.
