Cleveland Browns: Shush, little Baker, don’t say a word
By Mike Lukas
Baker Mayfield isn’t wrong to defend himself against the backlash for not hugging Hue Jackson, but the Cleveland Browns quarterback is giving the media what they want
Hue Jackson wanted a Baker Mayfield Week 12 post-game hug, but Baker was having none of it.
When asked by the media why he was “visibly cold” toward fired head coach Hue Jackson after the Cleveland Browns-Bengals victory last Sunday, as reported in a Mary Kay Cabot tweet, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield told the truth.
"“I didn’t feel like talking.”"
When pressed further, he continued telling his truth.
"“It’s just somebody [who] was in our locker room, asking for us to play for him and then goes to a different team we play twice a year. Everyone can have their spin on it, but that’s how I feel.”"
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Mayfield is allowed to have his feeling, aka ‘my team was disrespected by this guy,’ and it’s arguably understandable given how Jackson basically took a mid-season spy job with the AFC North enemy.
Guaranteed the rest of the Browns feel the same way.
It’d be like if a McDonald’s manager broke up with his girlfriend and she suddenly started sleeping with the owner of the Burger King across the street.
Point is, you just know that she is sharing secrets about the special sauce.
Bottom line, the Bengals’ plan backfired and Mayfield refused to hug it out with the enemy, a somewhat respectable response until he showed a willingness to talk about it to the media.
That’s where some NFL talking heads drew the line.
In Cincinnati.com, it’s reported that on ESPN’s First Take, former NFL lineman Damien Woody said that Mayfield “needs to grow up,” and is acting hypocritical since Mayfield also transferred within his conference when he switched from Texas Tech to Oklahoma as a college player.
Which caused Mayfield to completely back down and shut up.
Yeah, right.
No, instead Baker left a comment on First Take’s post.
Whoa…..
"Baker Mayfield left a comment on firsttakes’ post: Not even comparable…I didn’t lose 30+ games be fake and then do that… I wasn’t gonna have a scholarship. Good try though buddy."
11:09 AM – 26 Nov 2018
Whoa is right.
Only, shush little Baker, don’t say a word.
And not because he’s wrong. Or being childish.
Mayfield is a born leader and chances are this whole time he’s been speaking on behalf of his team, not just himself.
No, he needs to shush because the media eats this stuff up, and for all the wins Mayfield has in front of him, he will never beat the press at their own ridiculous game.
Sure enough, piping in quickly on the topic was renown gas leak Colin Cowherd, who wasted even more time than usual on his show The Herd being concerned by the ‘nonsense and immaturity’ displayed by Baker Mayfield.
Why give these fools fuel for their fire?
Browns fans are all-in on the Baker Mayfield experience, and guaranteed every one of them would have cringed had Baker gone against his true self and man-hugged a man he didn’t respect.
Or smiled and pretended to be okay with something he thoroughly despised.
Or lied about how he felt.
But keep the personal commentary in the locker room, Baker. Never give the media the satisfaction of knowing exactly how you feel, because they’ll use it against you in a heartbeat.
Ratings always win.
With all due respect, please just play the game you were born to play, Mr. Mayfield, and win on the field where the press can’t do anything but report your stats and admire your god-given talent and leadership.
And victories.
And if there comes a time in Week 16 against the Bengals when you feel a bold statement needs to be made in the face of that so-called traitor, say it with action, or better yet, say it by winning.
dark. Next. Mayfield deserves a Cowherd apology
And afterward, pull a total Damarious Randall and hand Jackson the game ball, then silently walk away.
Whoa…
Guaranteed that’ll say it all.