Mayfield Throws Shade at Browns’ Five-QB Drama
Baker Mayfield isn’t one to sugarcoat his thoughts. And his latest comments on his former team prove just that. During an appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback gave a brutally honest response when asked about the Cleveland Browns’ crowded quarterback room.
The Browns are entering the 2025 NFL season with a head-spinning five-man competition: Joe Flacco, Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, and rookie Dillon Gabriel. With Watson sidelined due to injury, the remaining four quarterbacks are expected to battle it out for the starting job in training camp.
Asked what he thought of the messy situation, Mayfield delivered a short and sharp response
“Not my problem anymore.”
He followed it up with a smirk and added,
“I plead the fifth. When I was healthy, I was starting to get pretty damn good there.”
The moment, though lighthearted, was heavy with subtext. After all, Mayfield was once the face of the Browns franchise, until things fell apart.
Read More: 12 Quarterbacks Who Asked for a Trade and Made It Awkward
A Complicated Cleveland Chapter
Drafted No. 1 overall in 2018, Baker Mayfield was once seen as the long-awaited savior of Cleveland football. His most memorable moment came in the 2020 season when he led the Browns to their first playoff win since 1994. Defeating the Steelers in dominant fashion.
But injuries, inconsistency, and front-office changes ultimately led to a messy breakup. Mayfield played through a torn labrum in 2021, struggled, and was unceremoniously replaced by Deshaun Watson in a highly controversial trade. The team’s decision to give Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract left many, including Mayfield stunned.
He was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2022, bounced to the Los Angeles Rams, and eventually found stability with Tampa Bay. A place where he revived his career and led the Bucs to a playoff appearance in 2024.
Mayfield Has Moved On
While Mayfield appears to have found new footing, the Browns are still stuck searching for answers. Despite a stacked QB room, there’s no clear-cut leader. Deshaun Watson’s injuries have clouded his future. Joe Flacco was serviceable last year but is 40.
Kenny Pickett is looking to recover from a failed stint with the Steelers. And both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are unknowns at the pro level.
Mayfield’s “not my problem anymore” sentiment may sound cold, but it rings with truth. He’s done trying to fix Cleveland. And now, as the Browns prepare for another unpredictable season, it seems Mayfield’s decision to move on was the best call of his career.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Polarizing Quarterbacks Ever
