Cleveland Browns: How social media can destroy the team
2021’s Stupid Tweets and Media Missteps surround the Cleveland Browns
One of the most disruptive social media posts this season came from Odell Beckham, Jr.’s father, who posted a video on Instagram of how terrible quarterback Baker Mayfield is. The video was partly true, but you just don’t humiliate a teammate like that, especially when OBJ’s dropped passes probably cost the Browns two games this season. We could fill a video of OBJ’s faulty routes, dropped passes, and other miscues. It’s just not cool.
Having your dad make the post instead of doing it yourself is not only tacky, but it’s also unprofessional.
OBJ’s punishment will come in the free-agent market in 2022. He thinks he will get another long-term deal at his $15 million per year rate. Wanna bet? At least he is not going to starve. But a general manager would have to be insane to take on OBJ after the damage he did to the Browns organization. Just remember, loyalty is a one-way street.
Nevertheless, family members, such as Baker Mayfield’s wife or Kareem Hunt’s dad, can certainly say whatever they want on social media. Plus, this fan actually agrees with most of what the social media posts have said. But that doesn’t mean it was a good idea for family members to engage in controversial, critical posts.
Emily Mayfield has been a great member of the Cleveland community in the short time we have gotten to know her. She has supported numerous charity functions and has done everything that could be asked of her, except she cannot leave social media alone. Recently she made the mistake of retweeting some fans who supported Baker — but was coming down on the rest of the offense.
No doubt, Mrs. Mayfield thought she would rouse great support for her husband and promote greater thoughtfulness among fans, sportswriters, and players who have unfairly criticized her husband.
No one knows like Mrs. Mayfield how much physical pain her husband has endured this season just to get on the field. If only everyone understood that, wouldn’t they be more sympathetic?
However, that’s not what happens when you bash your husband’s critics, ma’am. Instead, it just makes them angrier.
The only thing that matters in Baker Mayfield’s profession — pro football — is wins and losses. It’s a completely heartless thing to say, but it is true. People are going to boo and criticize when the team is losing and for many fans, it doesn’t matter how much pain the quarterback suffers.
Many fans — not all, not even a majority, but a vocal minority at least — are going to boo and criticize and call for a replacement. It’s just part of the job.
My advice? You had better get used to it ma’am, because that’s the way it is, like it or not.
It shouldn’t be surprising that Kareen Hunt’s dad issued a blistering counter-analysis of the situation which contained some choice criticism of the quarterback. Undoubtedly, the senior Mr. Hunt likewise thought he was supporting his son. However, the impact on the younger Hunt’s career is almost certainly negative. It does not help, sir.
Wait till the company Christmas Party. Perhaps the Browns will need to have a referee on hand to handle warring, unhappy relatives.
Misbehaving family members contribute to a dysfunctional organization. However, it’s actually spread to the quarterback. Is the pressure getting to be too much?