Baker Mayfield keeps it real when discussing Hue Jackson

One thing people have learned about Baker Mayfield? The kid has no fear. Not just with his play on the field but with his actions on and off it too.

Everybody remembers his iconic flag incident at Oklahoma. So one can imagine when the time came for a statement, he wasn’t going to pass it up. The game against the Cincinnati Bengals meant something extra to the Cleveland Browns rookie. That team had just hired Hue Jackson, his former head coach who had pass around a lot of blame for the Browns’ issues over the years without putting any on himself.

Players never forgot that. Damarious Randall got the ball rolling when he intercepted a pass during the game and handed it directly to Jackson on the Bengals sideline. That was just the appetizer though. Mayfield hammered the message home first by throwing four touchdown passes on the afternoon in a 35-20 rout. Then after the game he intentionally avoided hugging Jackson, instead opting for a handshake. When asked about it afterward, the message was clear.

"“Didn’t feel like talking to him. He was here trying to tell us to play for him. Then he goes to a team we play twice a year. That’s how I feel. We have people we believe in calling the plays now.”"

Baker Mayfield closed the door on a dark chapter of Browns history

Even now it’s puzzling how the Browns stuck by Jackson for so long. He had one victory in two seasons as head coach. Was it stubbornness due to people accusing them of firing head coaches too soon? Possibly. Still, they didn’t have the evidence to back up the decision and it may have actually ended up costing their team a shot at the playoffs given how well it’s played since they fired him.

One thing is for sure. Mayfield may finally be the guy who can get the franchise back to winning after decades of disappointment. He’s talented, gutsy, and a clear leader. Cleveland must do everything in their power to keep him healthy and equipped because he has a chance to be one of the good ones for years to come. As for Jackson? His future remains uncertain as the tenure of Marvin Lewis appears to finally be in its death throes in Cincinnati.